The Raccoon Had the Right of Way

Everybody knows I like to work out in the mornings. Or at least that is always the plan.

If I am really on point, I am up before the house fully wakes up, before the sun rises, and heading to the gym while the rest of the world is still stretching and minding its business. I love that quiet part of the day. It feels like I get to borrow a little peace before the noise starts. No phone ringing. No house chatter. No long list, already trying to square up with me before I have even had a proper thought.

But let me go on and tell you something else about those dark-early mornings: situational awareness is a must.

Now, as a woman, and especially as a woman out by herself in a parking lot before daylight, I do not play about paying attention. I am looking around. I am noticing who is near me. I am clocking what is moving. I am aware of my surroundings. At least that is the goal.

So tell me why I ended up trying to climb my own car like I was starring in an action movie… because a raccoon decided to saunter across the parking lot.

A raccoon.

Not a bear. Not a person sneaking up on me. Not some great dramatic emergency. A regular little trash bandit with places to be.

And the nerve of him was not even that he crossed my path. It was the way he did it. No rush. No fear. No apology. He walked across that parking lot like he had a key fob and a premium membership.

Meanwhile, I am over there trying to gather my soul back into my body.

I had to laugh, because one minute I was the disciplined early-morning gym girl, focused and responsible, and the next minute I was one startled second away from pulling a hamstring before the workout even started.

It was funny, yes. But it also got me thinking.

There is something humbling about the way life can catch you off guard in the middle of a routine you thought you had mastered. You can be prepared, intentional, and doing exactly what you said you were going to do, and still find yourself jumping because something unexpected showed up.

That is not failure. That is just being human.

Sometimes I think we put a lot of pressure on ourselves to be unshakable. Especially if we are the dependable one, the caregiver, the business owner, the woman who gets up early and handles things. We start to believe that if we are disciplined enough, prayed up enough, organized enough, and strong enough, then nothing should throw us off.

But that is not real life.

Real life says you can love a quiet routine and still get startled in the parking lot.

Real life says you can be alert and still be surprised.

Real life says you can be grown, wise, capable, and still have a moment where your body says, “Absolutely not,” before your mind even catches up.

And honestly? I think that is part of grace, too.

Grace is not just for our big mistakes or hard seasons. Grace is also for those small, human moments that remind us we are not machines moving through a perfectly controlled day. We are people. We react. We reset. We laugh. We keep going.

That raccoon also reminded me of something else: not every interruption is a threat, but every interruption does require a pause.

That is true in parking lots, and it is true in life.

Sometimes something crosses your path, and your first reaction is bigger than the moment itself. Not because you are weak, but because you are moving fast, carrying a lot, and your nervous system is doing its best to keep up. Sometimes you need a second look before you decide what the situation really is.

That has been true for me in other areas too. A hard comment. A change in plans. A rough caregiving moment. A business issue. A delay. A surprise expense. Sometimes my first internal response is, “Oh no, here we go.” And sometimes, after I breathe and look again, the moment is not as dangerous as it first felt. It just startled me.

Now, let me be clear. I am not suggesting we ignore instincts or stop paying attention. Please keep your head on a swivel, especially in dark parking lots. The lesson is not “be less aware.” The lesson is “do not confuse being startled with being defeated.”

There is a difference.

I was startled. I was not taken out.

I was surprised. I was not powerless.

I had a moment. Then I laughed, gathered myself, and kept it moving.

And maybe somebody reading this needs that reminder too. Maybe something startled you this week. Maybe it was not a raccoon, but it still crossed your path unexpectedly. Maybe it rattled you more than you would like to admit. Maybe your first response felt dramatic, messy, or unlike the composed version of yourself you prefer to present.

Friend, give yourself a minute.

You are allowed to be caught off guard.

You are allowed to pause.

You are allowed to laugh at yourself and still take yourself seriously.

The practical takeaway this week is simple: when something startles you, do not let your first reaction write the whole story. Pause, breathe, assess, and then respond.

That works in a parking lot. It works in business. It works in caregiving. It works in relationships. It works in all the little places life likes to test our edges before breakfast.

And for the record, I still made it into the gym. The raccoon did not win. But he definitely reminded me that I am not nearly as cool under pressure as I imagine myself to be at 5-something in the morning.

So let me ask you this over coffee: what startled you lately, and did it really threaten you — or did it just catch you off guard?

Until next Sunday...

From my coffee cup to yours… enjoy the rest of your coffee, carry a little grace into the week, and I'll meet you back here next Sunday.

– Renee 🤍
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