When did the human race become a species in such a hurry? Ask any law enforcement officer with a radar gun, and I’m sure he or she will confirm we need to slow our roll. There are just too many distractions when we are behind the wheel to make matters worse.

I can’t count the number of times that I have witnessed someone rushing to beat the red light only to create a near-miss in traffic. It’s especially bad at heavy traffic areas on National Road near Perkins. Beware when entering that intersection.

It’s not just our driving habits, but everything we do these days seems to be at a stepped up pace. We rush to complete a school assignment. We race the time clock. We hurry to meet deadlines.

I will admit that since semi-retiring, I have had the good fortune to slow down and see the world through a different lens. There is a sense of peace in my less frantic pace. Let me tell you what you are missing when you are in a rush.

After filling my hummingbird feeders the other morning, I sat by the window and watched these tiny creatures enjoying the sweet nectar I made for them. It was just a minute, but then something else caught my eye. It was a very large woodpecker attacking a small tree stump in the yard.

I had never seen a pileated woodpecker, and the appearance of this majestic bird was a rare and wonderful experience. If I had not taken a moment to sit and look out the window, I would have missed it.

Then early on Tuesday morning, I was driving on Peters Run Road. I was purposely taking my time because of the oversized truck traffic I have sometimes encountered on the narrow county road. Also, it’s a country road where nature and humans are known to collide.

During my drive, I slowed even more to avoid deer crossing the road and several turkeys in my path. Then I saw something that caught my breath. A large bobcat came off the hillside, crossed the road in front of me and jumped across the creek on the other side.

It was a quick and extraordinary sight to behold on an otherwise normal day. What a treasure it is to witness the beauty of the nature around us. If I had been driving faster, it could have been a tragic result for both me and the cat. I guess we were both lucky.

My wish for all of you is that you can give yourself the time to stop and smell the roses. They’re in bloom now in case you haven’t noticed.

Heather Ziegler can be reached via email at hziegler@theintelligencer.net.