On Your Left!

No I am not writing a post about politics, I'll say that in the first sentence so I don't lose the one or two of you who might read this.  Although a post about left minded...never mind


On your left!  A phrase that I use every time I ride my bike.  A courtesy phrase.  A warning.  A short, get out of the **** way if you will for bike riders.  The signs technically say, "Passing on your left", but for some reason, I and everyone else I ever hear at least mutter a semblance of the phrase,the word passing is left out (that's a side note by the way).  Tonight as I was riding and yelling it out more often than normal (because it was dark and I didn't want to get charged for running someone over) I thought a lot about what that phrase really meant, and how it played a role in my life.  I know I've already lost some of you, and others are still trying to connect the political dots, and Pharm. D is just saying "give me the bullet points", but I had 50 or so minutes of quiet time so I thought about it.

Here is what I came up with...get ready, this will change your life.  On your left, really is a way I give someone the polite "finger" as I pass through their slow life.  Wait...did that not change your life?  My bad, thought I had something great there, guess not, but allow me to explain this.  When I am riding my bike the only time I use the phrase is when I am passing someone who might...just might get in my way.  I am not saying I purposely use it on slower people or people who might not be paying as much attention, but really that is the case.  Example 1:  If there is one person walking down the trail and they are hugging the right side like trail etiquette says, then more than likely I just move slightly over to the left and pass right on by that person with nothing ever said.  Example 2:  If there is a person walking or jogging on the trail and they have their IPod (R.I.P. Steve Jobs) blaring Maroon 5's "Moves Like Jagger" and they are veering closer to the center line than normal, I am going to yell "On your left" so they don't "Jagger" their way in front of my wheel.  Example 3:  If there is a pack of over accessorized "Uptown Posse" strolling down the trail and you KNOW they wouldn't get out of the way if a semi were rumbling down upon them, because 1. They can't hear 2. They wouldn't care if the could, frankly it's not that important and 3. "Hello, I'm in heels here!" Then I yell "On your left" as I ride off the paved surface and try not to derail my chain.  All those examples to prove my point.  I don't yell "On your left" because I'm really trying to be polite, but more because it keeps me out of trouble or gives the ol' F you to people who are being annoying.  I was not very happy with myself when I came to this conclusion...life changed yet?  Well you get what you pay for right?

"On your left" should be a motto we live by, meaning: "excuse me, but I am entering your life and don't want to do anything but add something positive or politely pass through."  Instead for me "On your left" means: "hey I'm living my life here and you need to get out of my way or at least not make me hurt you."  Pharm D.  here comes your sappy bullet point "-" I am not the only one using this trail called life.  I am a mere person who was put here to do something (won't go philosophical) but it wasn't to just get my way.   As much as it pains me to say it I am not the center of the universe, and the sun does not revolve around me.  As I came to that conclusion it really deflated my ego, but I realized...give me a day and I'll find something else to pump it back up (just kidding...kind of).  When you grasp you're not the only one using the trail called life it makes you look at things in a completely different manner.  For me it meant as I passed people and yelled "On your left" and then I went past them I said "Thank You."  Maybe it didn't make sense to them, maybe they got it, but I realized they were sharing and I appreciated it. 

To sum it all up, don't let "On your left" be a polite way to give someone the "finger" as you pass through their life, but instead let it announce your presence and then at the least leave things the way you found them if not better as you exit.  The world and politics (got ya) would be a lot better if we all understood this concept and tried to put it into practice every now and then.

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