Seeing Orange

The orange barrels stretch out over the roadways like brightly colored dominoes, rising to let you know that road construction season has begun. Like roadside soldiers, they appear at once and seem to line the streets from the moment you begin your commute, to the last turn toward your destination.

But these orange barrels mark more than just the annual rebuilding of our streets and bridges, don’t they? Their appearance alone is powerful enough to give you a sinking feeling; a sense of dread and frustration and inevitably a little road rage toward your fellow commuters. And suddenly, you’re seeing orange.

We’ve been conditioned to be barrel haters, haven’t we? The local news gives construction updates like storm warnings. Our traffic reporters hover over construction zones and use words like “bottleneck” and “snarls.” This all leads to things we really hate about road work, not the least of which is the lane-crasher: I don’t think so! And “I am NOT letting you in.”

We find ourselves wondering aloud: “Why did I get in this lane? Why is this lane closed if they’re not doing anything?” And “only one guy working and the rest of them standing around?!” And then there’s the one thing creates more havoc and uncertainty than anything else: The rolling patching crew. And it’s always at lunchtime.

But is it really that bad or are we just overreacting? Shouldn’t the orange barrels be a sign of progress instead of a path to personal frustration and powerlessness? Don’t we want to feel good about building a stronger, safer transportation system or do we just want to curse the orange gauntlet? Of course we would, if we weren’t in such a hurry.

Now seriously, are we really suffering sitting in air-conditioned cars, listening to music, talking on the phone, texting or emailing each other? It’s not like we’re on the Oregon Trail. C’mon now. But if you’re still feeling stressed during rush hour, here are a few things to consider when sitting alongside the barrels this season:
1. Think about all of the things you’re thankful for today.
2. Count the number of people who are thankful for you.
3. Imagine what life would be like without the first two.

And finally, try to think of your time in the orange queue as time for yourself – the time you say you never get to spend alone with your thoughts. Make it a space for reflection and a moment to find a little serenity amid the long lines, earth movers and heaving asphalt. Sing out loud or practice something you want to memorize or even listen to classical music.

Because life shouldn’t about getting there as fast as possible; the point is to enjoy the ride and think about all the things you have that make it worth taking. So don’t be a barrel hater. Slow down, let somebody in once in a while and maybe even leave a little early for a change. If you do, you might start to enjoy the feeling you get when you’re seeing orange.

Fred Nahhat is DPTV Director, On-Air Fundraising