A while back I had said that when I heard on the traffic report that an object is in the road and slowing traffic I would blog about it and relate it to marriage. It's been a long time coming, but there was a large piece of sheet metal in the road yesterday afternoon. So, here it goes...At first, I had to think about what a piece of sheet metal in the road means. Isn't it flat? Couldn't you presumably drive over it and be fine? Yes and yes. But sometimes an obstacle arises that we are afraid of. After all, an obstacle is an obstacle. It's out of the ordinary. We'd prefer to drive on the smooth part of the road where we know what to expect, and so we avoid obstacles, even ones we can drive over, whenever possible. We figure the consequences (slow traffic) are worth it as long as we stay secure.
Same as in any relationship. Sometimes there are little things that come up along the way that we would rather avoid than confront (or...drive over?). Keep on ignoring those little things and they eventually accumulate (think traffic jam). Maneuvering through the relationship and feeling as free as a speedster on the open road becomes too difficult for us...sheet metal-like obstacles pop up everywhere and close us in. We all know how it feels to be in a traffic jam--we get tense and frustrated. The same happens in a relationship where you are avoiding problems. Even though you think you are avoiding the problems, they surface in other ways. The relationship can become tense and frustrating.
To me, the lesson is clear. In a relationship, driving over the sheet metal is a matter of communicating. Take the little things as they come. Deal with them before they get frustrating. You might need to slow down a bit, but once you're on the other side, it's smooth sailing...I mean driving.
