I was sitting in a rather long line of traffic the other day waiting for a construction crew to pause long enough to let some of the backed-up traffic through an open lane when I spotted a sign on the back of a huge road grader. The sign read, "This is a good time to remember that the road to patience and happiness is almost always under construction."

  As I watched people make their way through that construction area, I noticed scowling faces turning into smiling faces. You could almost read each motorist's thoughts. They seemed to be saying to themselves, "Well, isn't that true!"

 I think that sign provided a much needed reminder.  We all seem to get so busy and preoccupied with getting from one place to another, from one task to another that we seldom take the time to enjoy life, and to discover what a gift an unexpected pause can be.

   We can choose to be annoyed by unexpected traffic delays, or we can learn to be patient and enjoy the moment of rest we have unexpected been given.  Much of the happiness that life offers us comes in the short pauses that can happen throughout our day. It doesn't matter if we get stuck in traffic, delayed in a waiting room at the doctor's office, or even if it seems like we've spent far too much time waiting to have our car serviced, if we learn to use those pauses well, the road to happiness is much shorter and quite a bit less tedious.

  The next time you get caught in a snarl of traffic, or unexpectedly delayed in an airport, remember to catch your breath, breathe deeply, and enjoy the pause. You may discover that you've actually found a bit of peace and happiness even if it's just for a moment and you may even discover a growing level of patience welling up in you too.