𝗟𝗜𝗧𝗘𝗥𝗔𝗥𝗬: “Traffic Lights” by Chrissa Jean A. Salvador

Layout by: Summer Maggay

Published by: Macie Venice Caoc

Date Published: August 17, 2026

Time Published: 10:40 am

Category: Prose

Theme: A metaphor of how traffic lights reflects the steps of life.

The red glow of the brake lights in front of us washed over the rainy windshield, turning the street into a sea of still cars. Inside the cab, the meter kept ticking, adding up numbers while we sat going nowhere. My chest felt tight—not just from being late, but from the heavy feeling that my life was stuck in the exact same place.

Then I looked up through the glass. Right above the intersection hung a traffic light, switching back and forth, calm and steady above the mess below.

It turned RED, forcing us to a full stop. My first thought was annoyance—we hate stopping when we feel like we are already behind. But as I watched water run down my window, my hands slowly unclenched. Stopping forces us to take a breath we didn't know we needed. It gives us a second to catch up, resting us up before we completely burn out.

Then came YELLOW. That brief glow is always the hardest part because nobody likes being stuck in the middle. Do you hurry up, or do you slow down? We spend so much time in this awkward space—waiting for a text, waiting for news, or waiting to make a choice. But sitting there, I realized that waiting isn't a waste of time. It is the moment where we get ready for what comes next.

Finally, the signal turned GREEN. The driver hit the gas, and the car moved forward. A wave of relief washed over me as the wheels began to roll. Moving forward feels great, but that green light only works because of the red that came before it. If every light stayed green, nobody would ever slow down, and we would all end up in a crash.

The taxi carried me through the intersection, leaving the light behind.

I looked back in the mirror and felt a little lighter. Life isn't supposed to be a constant rush with no breaks. The stops aren't a punishment and the waiting isn't lost time. As long as I keep my eyes open, I'll know when to pause, when to get ready, and when it is time to go.