🚗 When Traffic Heals You

Why My EV—and My Soul—Recharge in Delays

There I was—on the 405, windows down, sun blazing, breeze drifting through, Jin’s voice filling the car—and I was happy. Not fake-it-‘til-you-make-it happy. Genuinely joyful to be stuck in LA traffic.

Why? Because my EV was thriving.

While everyone around me probably sighed into their steering wheels, I was celebrating each red light. My electric vehicle uses regenerative braking—a design that recovers energy every time I slow down or stop. In stop-and-go traffic, the very thing that frustrates most people, my car literally recharges.

And apparently, so do I.

🎶 Jin, the Freeway, and a Revelation in Motion

I was heading to Jin’s concert in Orange County, hyping myself up by blasting his songs. Not just his BTS solos like Epiphany, Moon, and Abyss, but his newer tracks from Echo—plus The Astronaut and Happy. I didn’t know all the lyrics (honestly, I struggle with English lyrics too), but I didn’t care. I was singing what I could, laughing at myself, and soaking in the ride.

I kept checking my range and smiling every time traffic slowed. And somewhere between Moon and The Astronaut, it clicked:

I wasn’t the only one recharging.

My car needed the stop to conserve power.

My soul needed the stop to come back to life.

Stillness isn’t laziness. It’s strategy. Especially when you’re wired to keep going.

⚡ Stop-and-Go as Sacred Rhythm

At one point, I left the 405 and hit open freeway. No brakes. No slowdowns. And my battery drained fast. I watched the bars drop with every smooth mile and felt that little flicker of anxiety.

By the time I arrived at the venue, I had one bar and a half left—barely 35 miles of range. Not enough to get back to West LA on the freeway. I had to find a charger, fast.

But what surprised me most wasn’t the battery panic. It was the strange gratitude I felt for every slowdown before it.

Because in hindsight? The delays had helped me.

“The Lord is good to those who wait for Him, to the soul who seeks Him.” — Lamentations 3:25

Soul Insights

from a Stop-and-Go Drive

1. Delays Aren’t Always Detours

We’re so quick to label slow seasons as setbacks. But what if the pause is the path? What if the slowdown is the provision?

2. Joy Can Be Found in Gridlock

That day, the sun was warm, the breeze was gentle, Jin was playing, and I was singing out of tune with the windows down. It wasn’t glamorous. But it was enough.

3. Momentum Doesn’t Always Mean Progress

I felt calm when the car was pausing—and anxious when it wasn’t. Speed didn’t equal security. Stopping actually gave me more to work with.

“Almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes… including you.” — Anne Lamott

4. We All Need Recharge Points Mid-Journey

You can’t white-knuckle your way through life. You have to stop. Pull over. Refuel. Even Jesus withdrew to pray and recharge. Why should we expect to run endlessly on fumes?

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” — Matthew 11:28

5. I Was Made for Rhythm, Not Rush

Stop and go. Breathe and move. Pause and sing. Rest and rise. I’m learning that the recharging doesn’t happen in the sprint—it happens in the surrender.

✨ Final Thoughts

I didn’t set out to write a metaphor. I was just trying to get to a concert, memorize Korean lyrics I couldn’t retain, and hope my battery didn’t die somewhere in Garden Grove.

But now I see it clearly:

My car was designed to recharge when it slows down.

And maybe—I was too.

So the next time life hits you with delays—traffic, waiting, the endless in-between—remember this:

You’re not falling behind.

You’re regenerating.

Roll down the windows. Turn up the music.

Let the pause recharge you.

Your Turn

Have you ever found healing or clarity in an unexpected slowdown?

Tell me your version of a stop-and-go moment in the comments—or just share your favorite Jin song that helps you recharge.

Let’s stop chasing constant motion. Let’s embrace the rhythm that heals.

Soul Path Insights