Rules of the Road

I wrote this some time back for a possible upstart app and online magazine; however, it seems things never really got moving with that and I forgot about this article until I became active in running and cycling again and became annoyed with the many near misses I have been in and seen due to negligence of the laws. It is likely these rules and laws are applicable, at least to some extent, where you live, but this was written specifically for Flagler County, Florida as I live in Palm Coast:

miyagi squish like grape

Rules of the Road

There I was, running along the road in my quiet neighborhood, watching the teenager on his bike swerving towards me from a distance. The problem was he wasn’t watching me; he was texting while riding. As a result, I had to take a leap onto someone’s well-manicured lawn, dogs barking at me for trespassing, as the cyclist flew past me, never even knowing I had been there.

Then more recently, I was driving down Belle Terre Parkway when I spotted a young woman jogging while pushing her sporty baby stroller. There are sidewalks; however, she had decided to run with traffic just next to the median. Immediately, I was reminded of the mostly sage advice given by Pat Morita’s Mr. Miyagi in the original The Karate Kid: “Walk on road, hm? Walk left side, safe. Walk right side, safe. Walk middle, sooner or later [makes squish gesture] get squish just like grape.”

I remember learning road safety for bicycles and pedestrians back in elementary school. Do they not teach this anymore? In today’s society maybe we just need an app for that.

Cyclists

A cyclist (or anyone on wheels that are propelled by human power) must obey the same rules as a motorist, except they are actually allowed to drive on sidewalks as long as local ordinances allow. We’ll get to that later though. According to the Florida Bicycle Law Enforcement Guide I located from 2005, “Riding as a driver makes a cyclist visible and predictable.”

As found in chapter 316 of the 2014 Florida Statutes of the Florida Uniform Traffic Control Law, the following are some of the basics in bicycle regulations to help keep you and others out of harm’s way:

How should a cyclist accessorize? Fashion is all up to you, but your bicycle needs a front lamp of white light which can be seen 500 feet away and a red reflector and a red lamp visible up to 600 feet from your bike’s tail end [316.2065(7)]. “About 60 percent of fatal bicycle crashes in Florida occur during non-daylight hours,” says the Florida Bicycle Law Enforcement Guide. A helmet may not look chic, but it is the law for anyone under 16 [316.2065(3)(d)]. Leave any sort of headset at home. Your ears should be clear from distractions [316.304].

Where should you ride? Just as in driving a motor vehicle, we are not in England and should always ride on the right side of the road [316.081].  This is what most motorists expect and are looking for, so the predictability is best for the rider, whom otherwise might not be seen. Cyclists must follow all traffic signals and devices, as well as follow the same patterns of yielding and passing as when driving a car. If there is no bike lane, ride as far to the right as safely possible, especially if unable to obtain and maintain the same speed as the flow of motor traffic [316.2065(5)].

Since bicycles do not come equipped with turn signals, a cyclist must use the proper hand gestures during the last 100 feet before the turn [316.155(2)(3) & 316.157(1)] as follows: left turn, extend the left arm horizontally; right turn, extend the right hand horizontally or upward; to stop, extend the left arm down.

And finally, cyclists may ride on sidewalks, as long as there is no local ordinance prohibiting such use. In my research, I could find no such ordinances for Flagler County. However, a cyclist has the “rights and duties of a pedestrian” while on a sidewalk [316.2065(9)] and must also yield right-of-way to all pedestrians, as well as give audible warnings to pedestrians if planning to pass them (I have had many a bell jingled at me while I was out running) [316.2064(10)].

All of this information can be found online, but I was also able to request a couple pamphlets from PC Bikes. http://www.leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0300-0399/0316/Sections/0316.2065.html

Pedestrians

Of course, walking, running, skipping, or hopping should not be done in the middle of the road, but Mr. Miyagi was incorrect that either side is safe. Only if there is no pedestrian sidewalk, a pedestrian must be facing oncoming traffic and remain on the left shoulder [316.130(3)(4)]. Pedestrians and motorists can then have better visibility of one another.

Pedestrians should follow appropriate signals at intersections, but what about when there are no signals to follow? A basic rule is that pedestrians always have the right-of-way over motorists as long as they are within a crosswalk and made sure not to enter the roadway without allowing a vehicle time to safely stop [316.130 (7)(a)(b)(c)]. This does not mean all motorists are aware of this law, so be wary. Also, if you intend to cross a road in an area without crosswalks, you must yield to motorists [316.130(10)]. Don’t get cocky out there. The chicken may have crossed the road to get to the other side, but do not play chicken with oncoming vehicles. Another small note about crosswalks: travel on the right side within one to keep a regular flow of movement [316.130(13)].

What about safety accessories for pedestrians? I have run in overnight races when I was required to wear a reflective vest, a headlamp, and a blinking red light on my rear, but I was unable to find anything in the Florida Statutes requiring any of these for pedestrians. The definition of pedestrians is not broken down between early morning runners on a rural road or those taking leisurely strolls along a sidewalk in the middle of a city, thus, regulations of this sort are not as clear. In this case, I suggest considering your environment, the safety in numbers factor, and good, old-fashioned common sense to make a decision on your precautions.

Riding or running along a road is always a bit more risky since we must factor in motor vehicles. Fortunately, Flagler County offers bike and pedestrian paths galore. It is important to remember though, that many of these rules should still apply to give consideration to others recreating along said paths. Always keep to the right, as you would if you were in a car on the road, and always give audible signals when passing, which should be done on the left.

While cyclists should not wear any sort of headsets, headphones, or listening devices, other than a hearing aid, while riding [316.304], there does not yet appear to be any rule on texting while riding (or jogging, for that matter), though I would personally classify it as an equally, or more distracting activity and safety violation. Perhaps a petition will be created to add this to a campaign against texting and driving.

Also, remember to continue to use caution and care. You may now know the laws set for your safety, but unfortunately, not all motorists or other pedestrians or cyclists do. Always use common sense above all else.

The following are some other resources to check out:

Bike Florida www.bikeflorida.org

Florida Bicycle Association http://floridabicycle.org/

State Safety Office Florida Department of Transportation www.dot.state.fl.us/safety

Terri Klaes Harper, October 2014

 

One Lonely, Empty Nest

I never intended to have any baby birdies flittering around in my nest in the first place. Robert and I were happy, free little birds. Then a little baby bird crash landed into our nest, changed our lives completely, and then left. Now we are left trying to figure out what to do with this lonely, empty nest.

Enough of the animal metaphor now, which makes it sound much cuter than it is in reality. Truthfully, I feel more like some abandoned sloth. Sure, I continue to live my life and go through my daily routines, but the world seems to be passing me by faster than my reeling mind and emotions can seem to keep up. Life refuses to stop long enough for me to figure things out. And that is awful, because I thought I had finally figured it out. I thought I had found the thing that was missing in my world- the thing I never knew was missing until I had it and loved it and it called me Mommy. But now she’s gone. Taken away. Separated from my daily routine.

stitch lost

 

 

 

And I feel so lost.

 

 

 

 

 

If you are reading this and do not know the story, it’s pretty long, so the short version is:

My niece left her children behind when she headed across county to find herself or something. Guess she assumed my parents would raise them both. They aren’t so young anymore and though they had been raising the boy already, could not take the girl as well, so they asked if my husband and I would.

What kind of heartless people would turn away a homeless four year old?

Not us!

We took her in without a clue as to how long it would be or how to take care of her. We rearranged our lives for her and fell in love with her and she with us.  She even eventually decided to call us Mommy and Daddy, which definitely made me cry the first time it happened, right after watching Finding Nemo.

Sounds like a fairy tale, right? Everyone should have lived happily ever after, except…

Her father, whom we had been told not to involve as he had not been reliable in the past, filed to have custody. About four lawyers and eight months later for us, he was granted custody from the mother (turns out we could have no legal standing even though we were the ones raising her). A couple months later, and for a grand total of 23 1/2 months of her living in our home, she no longer is.

So maybe that was the medium version, but definitely not the long one. That would take a book to tell.

Anyway, her father has allowed us to remain a part of her life, so we are obviously grateful for that. But it’s a confounding feeling…am I a mommy or not? She still thinks of me as one and calls me one, but am I allowed to encourage that now? I don’t even know how to sign the letters I write to her.

In my heart, she will always be my little girl, my baby, my daughter.

Sometimes I peek down the hallway towards her room. Sometimes I even walk into her room. I may even sit on her bed from time to time and cry silently, because if I make a sound the dogs will hear me, run to comfort me, and mess up the bed. Oftentimes, I avoid her room. It’s pink and purple (her two favorite colors), with sparkles and glow-in-the-dark decor, Darth Vader and tea sets, dragons and books. Her room reflects her perfectly, and sometimes, most of the time, it just hurts too much to stand in the midst of it when she isn’t here.

I miss singing her awake with “You Are My Sunshine.” I miss breakfast with her, making silly faces, blowing up the Death Star, group hugs, eski-mo kisses, tuck-ins, story time, and snuggling. I miss her calling our dogs Wookiees and walking carpets, and seeing her drag them happily around the house. I miss the incessant talking or singing that once filled every moment. The house is far too silent now.

I thought getting back to a routine would help, but she was my routine. Without her, I feel empty, lost, and without purpose.

We went through grieving for months before we actually lost her. The process was slow and agonizing. Once we knew it would happen we tried to deny it, then optimistically thought maybe it would fall through, and then we grieved and cherished every tiny moment with our tiny girl that we could, making memories as a family, but fighting back the tears. Every moment with her in the last few months she lived here was bittersweet. Sometimes I had to walk away because watching her and trying to imagine life without her made me cry, and I didn’t want her to see because then she would be sad too.

So maybe we went through the hardest part already. The part where my emotions were all too often falling right out of my eyes. Then the day came for her to leave, and numbness struck, with fits of rage in between. And then just numbness again. I would probably feel better if I could cry more.

I don’t know how I’m supposed to feel. I don’t know anybody else who has ever really gone through this. So…I go on. I exist. That’s pretty much it.

I just exist.

The Truth About Love

Love cannot be forced, but it is a force. It makes you do what is best for someone and makes them happiest, even if it hurts you or your pride, because love has no pride; true love is selfless.

Love makes you listen, even when you do not understand, so that you can understand.

True love makes you put yourself aside, knowing you would put your life aside for the one you love if needed.

True love feels the pain of the one you love, just as if it were your own.

And there is no other feeling in the world as exhilarating as knowing your love is returned and mutual…

And no pain more unbearable than having to lose each other.

5-4-16 Terri Klaes Harper

I Would Take You Everywhere

I’ve never really considered myself much of a poet, but sometimes I just have to write them. No judging my first draft, but here goes…

I Would Take You Everywhere

I long to show you the world,
so you can understand its diversity,
and know of all the beauty
God created for us to see.
Your sense of wonder and adventure
deserves a chance to experience more
than this small corner of the world
can ever provide your mind.
If you were mine forever,
I could take you by car,
by train, plane, or boat
To learn of the lands you ponder
But if I cannot take you
by land, air, or sea,
Travel there by books, my Dear,
Passports to adventure anywhere.
Don't let anyone tear down your dreams,
or tell you they're sorry but they just cannot be.
I see you for who you are,
and its more than some will ever see.

Being a Hero

I know nothing about being a hero. Really. Until I became one unintentionally. I would confess here that I’m not a cape-wearing superhero… but sometimes I actually do wear a cape. Or I did last weekend anyway (three if you count my socks). Seriously.

supergirl and wonder woman

My family participated in the second annual Superhero 5K in support of the little one’s previous school (VPK) and her teacher from last year. She got to see old friends, and give Mrs. Natalie some big hugs, and run her own kids’ race. My husband announced the 5k runners as they crossed the finish, including me.

I used to run quite a bit, but life happened and I have had a really hard time getting myself committed to it again, so I declared a little over a month before the race that I would do it because I knew I needed a reason to run. I still had a hard time making time to train, so more than two miles was a challenge. My goal going into the race was just to finish. I felt that might be attainable.

I felt good at the start of the race, and I began thinking about the little girl waiting for me at the end and how she seemed more excited that I was running the race than I was to be running the race. Then I started thinking, “Wouldn’t it be awesome if I actually placed in my age group and she could see me get a medal?” But 3.1 miles began to kick my butt,  and my next goal became not to throw up.  As I crossed the finish, I felt I had not only let myself down, but let down my little girl. I was fourth in my age group, just out of medal ranking.

Here’s one of the greatest things about our girl: she is an encourager. She didn’t care if I won a medal. She told me I won my race because I finished. In fact, she spent the rest of the weekend telling people, “My mommy ran a 5k, and I ran the Super Loop. We both won.”

We teach her not to give up,  the importance of committing to something, and knowing it may take hard work to get there. Character is a strong value in our home, and I am so proud of our girl’s. We both ran with our capes on last weekend because she is a young superhero in training, and she thinks I am one already.

I very often just feel like a regular woman who constantly makes mistakes and struggles to get it right, but a little girl who CHOSE to call me her mommy, even though she understands she didn’t get her actual life through me, said to me after the race last weekend, “Mommy, I want to be you when I grow up.” I told her she can be better, but what a compliment.

never give up

Our girl makes me always want to be better and inspires me daily. Running is just a part of it, a sort of symbol of the race we call life.  But I plan to run more and win medals, both literally and figuratively, because someone important is watching, and she wants to be me because she thinks I’m a hero.

My Story

If you’ve been in a church, you’ve probably heard about peaks and valleys. Life is full of them. About a year ago, I was checking out a pretty great view on my own mountain peak… and then was shoved from behind into a canyon. Every time I think I’ve found some hand and foot holds to start to climb back up, I slip.

The thing is, as miserable as this experience has been, I know I won’t be down here forever, and what I do while I’m down here matters.

Because one day, I am going to have an amazing story to tell.

I am a writer; however, God is the author of my life. All truly good stories have several intertwined subplots, and as the reader, we don’t always see how all those subplots fit together, but the Author and Creator always sees how it will all connect in the end.

I am learning that I am not the author of my life. God is. I cannot get out of this valley on my own. I have to trust He is working behind the scenes to pull me up. He is giving me an amazing story to tell. He didn’t knock me down here, but He knew I would fall. He already had a plan to raise me up.

My story is not finished yet. One day I can share the story and the happy ending of eternal life.

(I had this post fermenting in my mind as the first of 2016 over a week ago, and then my pastor gave a message last Sunday that confirmed this was the right thing, right down to the video I had already decided to include. God is funny that way.)

Bad Religion

You don’t need religion to have God. There is no specific prayer you need to pray, no certain clothing you must wear, nor special buildings you must utilize. God wants us in whatever fashion we choose to come to Him, because He just wants us.

Through Jesus, God gave us an example of a prayer in what is commonly referred to as “The Lord’s Prayer,” but we can come before Him in prayer in many ways, with our own sincere words. Our clothing matters little, as long as it does not send wrong messages to others. After all, John the Baptist wore animal hides and was said to be a wild looking man. A church building, no matter how beautiful, is still only a building. The church is the people, and we must not forget that.

Religion is like food these days. Additives. Preservatives. Genetically modified. And all sorts of words and fillers that nobody can pronounce and have no nourishing qualities. I just want some non-GMO, all-natural, organic God. It’s as simple as reading, studying, and following the Bible.

It’s not about following a strict set of rules. In fact, the resurrection of Jesus made it really simple, and no matter how many hoops religions make for their followers to jump through, no one can earn the grace that God has already offered to us. It is about having a personal relationship with Him and loving people…all people… not just the ones in our church building.

This is why I love the church I attend and helped launch so much (Epic Church). We call it “a church for people who don’t do church.” This last Sunday, we gathered in our usual building (which is actually a cafeterium at a local middle school), and then headed out into various places throughout our county in order to serve our community by cleaning, painting, building, feeding, loving, and just generally serving through projects to fill needs through an event called 3G Sunday (Go, Gather, Give). At least 341 people signed up to be part of this, and I am so blessed to be part of a church that does something as cool as this. I’m not telling you to come to my church; after all, you could be reading this from the other side of the globe. I’m just saying that you should think about what your church really stands for and what it really means to accomplish. Is it in line with real biblical truths? We are meant to love one another, serve others, and have a strong community.

Seasons of Friendship

The most telling test of a true friend is what they do when your life hits its lowest point, like mine did this year. I was hit with one thing after another, each compounded by complications of those circumstances. That’s vague, but that’s all you need. If you’ve been through a time when all you waned to do was stay in bed and hide from life, but you knew you couldn’t, so you robotically went through the motions, then you know what I mean. Basically, the only way I could have felt worse would have been by the death of a loved one, which thankfully never happened.

In this time, I desperately needed friends. The thing is, people are busy with their lives, and the formalities of one text to check in on me one time may have come, but only a few continued to check on me, knowing my introvert self was unlikely to reach out on my own, but that I still needed to know people cared. I am so grateful to those people, even if all they did was repeatedly send me texts to check on me, and for the ones who got me out of the house and just let me talk it out. I was surprised when certain people I had always thought would be the first at my side seemed to shrug their shoulders at my pain, seeming never to give it a second thought, while others who I really didn’t know all that well yet reached out and helped me through.

I didn’t even realize that I’ve been dealing with anger and rejection until recently. What happened to the friendships I had valued so much before? They disappeared in my darkest time and sometimes even seeing these people in passing actually made me feel sick and angry, smiling and hugging, and going about their business, or should I say busyness.

I hope when my friends need me that I am not too blind and busy to see. I would hate to ever make anyone feel that pain.

Then I heard the song “Seasons of Love” from the play Rent, and I started thinking about how our lives go through seasons, and our friendships fall into that as well. Admittedly, I do not easily open up and truly connect with people, so when I do, I obviously hope such a friendship will last forever, but life doesn’t work that way most of the time. Some of our friendships are just for a season, and when that season passes, new people enter our lives. Even in my hurting, God knew what I needed, and He brought me comfort and love, even if it wasn’t where I would have thought to look. But that’s why He’s God and I’m not.

Love One Another

I was poking back through a few drafts of posts I had saved when I discovered a post I had actually trashed two years ago because I was afraid of the backlash I might receive if I actually posted it, afraid people may only read the parts they wanted to in order to be offended. Lately, being offended is the hip thing to do. And that made me realize that maybe my message is even more important than it was when I originally wrote this. I just ask if you read it to know that I did write this in love and am sharing it in love. I pray anyone reading this sees my heart:

God never asked for our assistance in judging one another; He called us to love Him and to LOVE one another, and this was put above all the other commandments.  If we could all stop looking for each other’s faults and begin to see and repent of our own, wouldn’t it be easier to love others?  After all, not one of us is perfect.

I want to address an issue that has been heavy on my heart for sometime now.  Unfortunately, though I do this in love and with good intentions in hoping to make others see love, I am sure some will find a way to be offended.  This is why I’ve not addressed the issue earlier.  So, please read with an open mind, no matter which side you take on the matter.

As a straight person, I admit I do not understand anything really about being gay.  I do know that I have now and have in the past had several gay people come in and out of my life whom I have thought were amazing people, regardless of their sexual orientation. People are people, whether black or white, gay or straight, and we are called to look at each other’s hearts and to love one another.

Sometimes the discussion of whether being gay is morally right or wrong comes up because I am a Christian.  This is always an awkward matter that I try to avoid.  Why?  Because I have to admit that I do not think this is what God intended; however, I also feel that it is not my place, nor any other Christian’s place to pass judgment on those who are gay. I want to love people, no matter their orientation.

Again, no person is perfect.

Whatever our imperfections, impurities, vices, etc., we all have them in some form.  Let’s try not to focus on these things in one another, but to see the good instead, and to see that deep down we are the same and everyone just wants to be and equally deserves to be loved, because God loves us equally.

As far as I can tell, there are people like me who try to generally stay out of the crossfire when it comes to this matter.  But I also see people thrusting themselves in and hating one another.  I see Christians condemning gays and I see gays condemning Christians.  What will this ever solve?

On the side of gay people, I see them often feeling they are being backed into a corner.  We cannot deny that hate crimes do exist, and hurtful comments are uttered under breath. A basic reaction to this is always to attack back or to stay as small as possible in that corner, hoping not to be noticed.

Then on the side of Christians, I often see and hear comments about how all Christians are hypocritical and hateful, yet most of the people I know who claim to be Christians really do not hold any animosity towards gay people.  This is an unfair stereotype based on a small percentage of loudmouths making us all look bad.  Coming down on all Christians as being hypocritical and judgmental then becomes just as hypocritical and judgmental on the other side. Christians have been persecuted around the world for over 2,000 years now, something that doesn’t seem like it will end any time soon.

This post isn’t about taking sides.  There should not be sides.  This post is to encourage love.  We will all be judged eventually…by God.  Let’s let Him take care of it and just do as we have been commanded by Him to do, and love one other.

A Year of Laughs

Monday was the anniversary of having our little girl come live with us. What a wild ride this last year has been. Since we were unaccustomed to being around kids much, we didn’t realize at first that the things she said were funny even in comparison to other kids her age. We thought we were just extra fascinated due to our lack of experience. When we posted many of her “Linneaisms” on Facebook, our friends assured us her wit really does exceed most kids of her age, even though she originally told me she only wanted to be pretty, not funny. Even she has come to embrace it as part of her personality. I told her she doesn’t have to choose between pretty and funny, and that being both is like bringing balance to the Force.

first day

Here are some of the “Linneaisms” I’ve been saving for her. Sometimes the humor is more in the delivery, but they’re still pretty funny and cute.

8/12/14

Linnea: *Exaggerated sigh and hand to face* I can’t be a princess anymore. It’s too hard.

Me: Which part makes it so hard?

Linnea: Not picking princess noses. I don’t think I can take it anymore.

Me: Hmm. Do you need a tissue?

Linnea: I don’t know. *followed up by another sigh*

Later that day, while talking about starting VPK…

Linnea: I will tell my teacher every day that I already know about Darth Vader.

9/3/14

“We’re having a laughing good morning!”

Later that day, at lunch…

“Excuse me, Aunt Terri. Look at my macaronis. I have three. The big one is Uncle Robert. This medium one is Aunt Terri, which is you, and this little one is me, which is me.”

At our house everything comes in three sizes to represent us, and we eat three little bears style, in that we have different, appropriate sized bowls and cups to eat and drink out of. She insists.

9/10/14

While Linnea was eating oatmeal (dinosaur eggs) and drinking chocolate milk out of her Darth Vader cup, she began talking to the cup.

Linnea: Oh, Darth Vader, would you like some oatmeal?

Linnea as Vader: *voice changed* No thank you, because it is not black.

9/18/14

“My farts all came out in a line. But the last two forgot to get in line.”

10/17/14

“There aren’t any dinosaurs in town anymore.” I think this one is so funny because we live in a town that got it’s start as a retirement community.

10/18/14

Linnea: What does a wish mean?

Robert: Something that you really want but don’t have.

Me: What do you wish for, Linnea?

Linnea: I just wish I could have a magillion shoes! *arms stretched wide*

10/21/14

“Aunt Terri, your hair is turning white. You could be Anna.” (from Frozen, in case you aren’t familiar with the movie)

11/6/14

“I’m so colorful that Uncle Robert, I mean Darth Vader, is going to cry like kooh-kaah when he sees me. Oh gosh! Oh gosh! I can’t even stop being adorable!”

11/9/14

Robert: You’re such a ham.

Linnea: No, actually I am a yogurt.

12/23/14

A child’s art of distraction

Me: Are you sleepy?

Linnea: No, I’m just thinking.

Me: Oh, do you think with your eyes closed?

Linnea: I’m just thinking that I love you.

12/23/14

“No matter what I get for Christmas, I just want you and Uncle Robert, and the Wookiees [what she calls our dogs], and Truffles. But I don’t think they’ll fit in our stockings though.”

2/21/15

Robert: Aunt Terri and I were kind of surprised that you didn’t come out of your room when you knew we were up.

Linnea: I was trying to make room in my belly so I’d be hungry for bregdest [breakfast], so I was doing exercises in my bed.

2/28/15

She knows how to tease with intrigue.

“I can’t show you this, but it’s very exciting to watch.”

3/26/15

Linnea walks up to me wearing a mask.

Linnea: Aunt Terri, I’m a superhero.

Me: Oh, what is your name and what power do you have?

Linnea: Princess Superhero [well, duh!], and my power is pink.

6/17/15

“Farts come from the Dark Side.”

6/21/15

Linnea: Is that part of your bathing suit?

Me: No, it’s just a tank top to wear over it.

Linnea: Oh, so nobody tickles your belly button?

Me: Exactly.

6/23/15

“Fish have summer school.”