SCOTT LUDWIG: Really … stop and literally smell the roses

The television comedy “Taxi” aired from 1978 to 1983. It featured the fictitious lives of several New York City taxi drivers and their mean-spirited — and very short — dispatcher (Danny DeVito). Its ensemble cast included Judd Hirsch, Tony Danza, and Andy Kaufman. My favorite character was “Reverend Jim” Ignatowski (played by Christopher Lloyd), an aging hippie minister whose brain was, well, fried after years of drug abuse.

One of the more memorable episodes was when straight man Alex Reiger (Hirsch) and Reverend Jim were taking their written exams for their taxi driver’s licenses. A brief description of Jim is provided here for reference: wild and unkept hair, unshaven, torn and dirty jeans and jean jacket, quivering voice, and above all, definitely not the sharpest crayon in the box.

Following is their exchange while taking the test:

♦ Jim, taking his test at the desk next to Alex, leans over and whispers: “What does a yellow light mean?”

♦ Alex whispers back: “Slow down.”

♦ Jim (also whispering): “What … does … a … yellow … light … mean?”

♦ Alex (still whispering, but slightly louder this time): “Slow down!”

♦ Jim (still whispering): “Whaaattt … duzzzzz … aaaa … yellooooooow … liiiiiight … meeeeeean?’

A classic, for sure. Humor aside, what stands out is this: a yellow light doesn’t necessarily mean it’s time to hit the gas pedal; sometimes it calls for putting your foot on the brake. It’s OK to slow down and allow the light to turn red.

A similar analogy can be made for life itself: It would do us all a bit of good if we could just slow down, even just a little. Relax; there’s nothing wrong with stopping to catch your breath every now and then. You don’t always need to be in such a rush.

Raise your hand if you’re guilty of any of the following:

♦ Growing impatient in the express checkout line because the person in front of you has one or two items more than the maximum number allowed.

♦ Honking your horn because the car at the traffic light in front of you doesn’t start moving the split second the light turns green.

♦ Refusing to eat at a restaurant because there is a 15-minute wait for a table.

♦ Leaving the theater before the credits finish rolling at the end of a movie, or a baseball stadium in the bottom of the seventh, to beat the crowd to the parking lot.

♦ Signing a lengthy waiver before reading through all of the fine print.

OK, so we’re all a little bit guilty of that last one. As for the first four, if you raised your hand to any of them, ask yourself this: How much did you really gain?

Instead, think about it in terms of what you might have lost. Losing your temper in the express lane may cause you to have a bad reputation. Blasting your horn could lead to an ugly altercation, not to mention shattered headlights if you make the other driver mad enough. Not waiting at the restaurant could result in missing out on a meal you were really looking forward to, or worse – a meal your dinner companion was really looking forward to.

You could miss out on a surprise ending or a sneak preview of a sequel if you leave before the film is over, or a dramatic two-out game-winning home run in the bottom of the ninth just so you could be the first one to your car.

Don’t be afraid to take it easy every once in a while. Take a breath. Relax. Good things come to those who wait. Or, in the words of Reverend Jim, sloooow downnnnnn.

Better yet, think of one of my favorite jokes. It’s about one of the slowest, most easy-going creatures around – one that might just be my spirit animal:

A sloth was robbed by three turtles.

When the police asked him what happened, the sloth replied:

“I’m not sure. It all happened so fast.”

As a reminder of this advice as you go about your lives, think of this when you see any roses. The rose predominately comes in two colors, yellow and red. If the rose is yellow, consider it to be a reminder that it’s OK to slow down.

Roses are red,

The sky is blue,

When you see yellow,

You know what to do.

And I believe we all know the reason why more of them are red. It’s explained in a phrase we’re all familiar with: Stop and smell the roses.