I accomplished a first today in my 47 years!~

Well friends, I managed to accomplish a first today at age 47!  I got a speeding ticket, so slow down!~

 

I called my podiatrist and got them to work me in today.  Dr. C said, “Let me guess.  We are back to square one!”

 

I nodded my head yes.  He gave me a good scolding and explained to me if I wanted to get better and not have to have surgery, I MUST do exactly as he says. 

 

He said again today, “I want to see you in ten days, not a month later, not six weeks later!!!!

 

After leaving the doctor, I attempted to meet up with Hubby.  I passed an officer.  Just as soon as I passed him, he pulled out with his lights on.  I did not even think he was coming after me.  I did not realize I was doing anything wrong. 

 

He walked up to the window of my vehicle and politely said, Ma’am, do you know why I pulled you over?”

 

Stupid me says, “No sir, I sure don’t.”

 

He said, “You were doing 50 in a 25 mile an hour zone.  During school hours, it is 25 through here.  I need to see your license and insurance card.”

 

While I was looking for my drivers license and insurance card, I told him I used to live on that street I was speeding on and when I lived there I remembered the speed limit being about 55.  I was only doing 50, so I thought I was five miles under the speed limit. 

 

On some places on the road, it was 45, but the further toward 280 it got away from subdivisions, I do remember it being 55.  When I lived there, the school was not there.  I explained all of this to him and that we had been living out of state in Colorado and had recently moved back, which explained why I have a Colorado license.  I told him this was my hometown and we had moved back because my son had just gone through a divorce because his wife decided the grass was greener on the other side.  I explained that I had not changed my license back to Alabama because we are not sure we are staying in Alabama, everything is quite up in the air at the moment.

 

He was so nice.  He said, “Well, if you do decide you are going to stay in Alabama and need to get your license changed back, the office has moved since you left Alabama and came back.”  He told me where it had moved to.  I was totally unaware of this, so this info helped tremendously.

 

He told me to just sit where I was and walked around to the back of his vehicle and commenced to do what it is when they go to write a ticket.

 

I could not find the most current insurance card of course.  Just my luck, but I had humpteen of them in my car, just not the most current.  I had the one that had just expired in July and the two before, but not the current one.  He explained he could write me another citation for not having the current card, but he told me he felt like I was telling him the truth that I did have insurance.  I was and I do.

 

Make a note to self:

 

SELF, FIND THAT CURRENT INSURANCE CARD!!!!!!

 

By all rights, I could have also gotten another citation for not having changed my license back to Alabama because we have been here over 60 days.  So I consider myself quite blessed to only come out with one citation instead of three!!!!!!!

 

Anyway, he came back and gave me the ticket to sign and went on to explain to me that he was not trying to be a meanie. 

 

He said, “I want you to be safe and I don’t want to have to scrape you up off the road somewhere because you are not paying attention to what you are doing.”

 

I said, “Honey, (yes when you are an old lady, you can call the young ones, honey and get away with it, lol) you don’t have to apologize to me, I know you are just doing your job.  I am at fault here, not you.  I did not realize I was speeding, but I was, and even in a school zone at that!”

 

He looked astounded that I admitted to it.  The truth is the truth.  I should have been paying closer attention to what I was doing instead of letting my mind wander 90 mph.  Me not paying attention could have caused an accident. 

 

I told him what is so very funny is I am always on my husband’s/son’s cases when I am in the car with them and they are driving too fast.  I tell them all the time, “You better slow down, you are going to get a ticket we can’t afford to pay!!!!!”  They both laughed their heads off just like I thought they would.  Jerks.  I say that lovingly, mind you. J

 

I said, “If I had to get stopped, I am glad it was you.  You have restored my faith somewhat in law enforcement.  I have never been stopped before, but my husband and son both have several times, and several of those officers got an attitude with them.”

 

He said, “I don’t see any cause for all of that.  I would probably have let you go if you had only been doing 10 miles over the speed limit, but 25 is a little much.”

 

My Mom is good friends with the judge.  I may be able to get out of this ticket if I really wanted to, but I consider myself to be a person of high integrity, and to me, it would not be the right thing to do.

 

Being a minister’s daughter and a Christian, I preach to my kids all the time,  "you do the crime, you do the time."  In my case, thank goodness, there is no time, but there is a fine to pay. 

 

I feel like sometimes my Dad was a “Do as I say, not as I do” parent.  My Mom always tried to set the right example for us.  I am guilty as charged.  I have to face the consequences of my actions, even though totally unintentional.  What kind of example would I be to my children if I talk the talk, but do not walk the walk?  I have always tried to teach my kids to take responsibility for their actions.  I believe this STRONGLY.  I want to be the example to my kids that my Mom has always been to us.

 

I worked retail at different times.  We got a discount at two places I have worked.  You would not believe the people who would ask me to get things for them on my discount.  If I had done it and they found out, I could have lost my job.  I would explain this to these people and some of them understood and were totally unaware and others would say, “They won’t ever know.”  Well, I would.  

 

Another example:  I now work for a hospital transcribing medical records, which are highly confidential.  I will have people ask me for their results or if I saw a report on their mother, father, child, etc.  I am not allowed to say.  I could lose my job.  I tell them as soon as the radiologist signs off on it, I can fax it to their doctor and they can call the doctor to get the results.

 

I am not compromising my job, so why would I expect anyone else to compromise theirs?  Someone who is a true friend would not ask you to do this.

 

I pary my children take the strong values with them I have tried to instill in them throughout their lives.  It is the same strong values that my parents instilled in me.

 

My children, I hope you get the lesson here and apply it as needed when it comes up in your own lives.  Choices come with consequences.  Make good ones and always take responsibility for your actions, good or bad.  Things will always go easier on you when you do.

 

Matthew 12:36-37

 

12:36 But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.
12:37 For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.

 

On judgement day, when I stand before my heavenly Father,  I do not want to be condemned by my words.  May my actions always glorify God!!!!

 

Hugs and prayers!~

 

Susan