I drive a lot for work, regardless of the commute. Driving that much helps a person put things into perspective. So I slowed down a bit and stopped getting involved in little tete-a-tetes with what my mother always called "the other crazy people out there" (as in, "it's not you I worry about, it's the other crazy people out there"... um... what does that make me?... oh).
Once I started slowing down, I noticed a new unattractive habit popping up. If someone's being a jerk on the road, I don't slam on my brakes in front of them (a brilliant tactic passed down to me from Mom). Even if I want to, I don't stay in front of them just to piss them off and I try very hard to avoid all visible hand gestures. Instead I imagine them getting pulled over by the police... for something completely unrelated to their "crimes" against me. Here's where I am extremely lame:
I picture myself pulling over with them and telling the cop, "You know what else they did?!?"
Still working on achieving adulthood over here.
2 comments:
Our church sermon last weekend was how God calls us "friend" and how we are suppose to love our neighbor. Evidently - this includes the crazy people on the road (or so the pastor said).
On the way home from the service, my husband got into a tete-tete with an older gentleman who was having problems staying in his lane. The man hand gestured to our vehicle - my husband went to respond...
I said, loudly.."LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR".
He waved at the man and yelled, "I LOVE YOU" out the window (with a total lack of sincerity). The man slammed on his breaks and my husband offered to pull over to "express his love" more clearly.
My teenagers then started waving and smiling at the vehicle like total loons and i thought the man was going to have a coronary he got so mad.
Evidently - adulthood eludes us too (as well as the ability to apply what we learn).
Thanks for letting me know I'm not alone, Kim! Your story reminds me of the new mommy class I attended with Madelyn. The instructor stressed the importance of saying positive things about the baby's family members whenever the baby was around. Corey was up to a lot of crazy stuff for a while there, so Madelyn got to hear, "Your BROTHER!... *sigh*... LOVES you VERY much!" quite a bit.
Post a Comment