Does this picture make you tense up? I don’t know anyone who likes to be caught in traffic. It happened to me last week, after a storm sent power lines down onto a major highway, causing a jam-up on the surrounding roads. It took almost two hours to go a total distance of three and a half miles.  Over one hour of that was spent on a short stretch. Ugh. Patience was at a premium.

As I finally approached the last traffic light taking me to freedom, a large white pickup truck appeared in the left-turn-only lane, passing everyone and cutting in at the front of the line. I said out loud, “Yeah, you just go ahead and cut in there pal, that’s just great. Thanks a lot, now I’ve got to wait for another light”.

Do you talk to yourself when driving? I do this frequently. Here are some examples of situations and what I might say. Can you relate?

Someone pulls out in front of my vehicle when there’s nobody behind me, then goes slow, forcing me to brake.
Me: “Oh, now, that’s just great, thanks a lot. You just couldn’t wait for me to pass, could you?”

I get to a four-way stop first, but another vehicle barely pauses and continues on through the intersection.
Me: “Way to stop pal, yeah, that’s right, you’re more important than me, you just go on and go first.”

I’m trying to switch lanes, blinker on, there’s an opening, the next driver in that lane decides to speed up so I can’t get in.
Me: “Are you kidding me? You couldn’t let me in?  What a jerk.”

The person in front of me suddenly brakes and turns without warning.
Me: “Great! Way to use a turn signal. Idiot.”

Ok, these are mild examples. I have been known to swear on occasion, especially if someone cuts me off when I have the kids in the car. Oops, did I say with the kids in the car? For the record, I do apologize to them. But hey, a mama bear’s instinct is to protect her cubs.

Years ago, I was involved in a road rage incident. To this day I can barely speak about it, as the terror of the moment shakes me up all over again. Suffice it to say, I thought we were going to be shot. And it wasn’t even provoked, more like a misinterpretation of what happened by a person obviously filled with rage. These types of incidents happen all too often. No doubt you’ve seen some pretty awful reports in the news.

Nobody should get so charged up over these things that they cause harm to another person.

A while back, as I was making yet another comment out loud in the car, I said to the kids, “You know what, from now on instead of complaining out loud, I’m going to say a prayer for that person”.  And guess what? That lasted one day in a row.

Old habits die hard, don’t they? I still think it’s a great idea, and a way to calm yourself, and do something positive at the same time. So I am trying to make a better effort  to do it again. Now that I’m getting in the habit of praying for crazy drivers who make me nuts, it’s evolved into praying for other people I see along the way. A crossing guard we pass every day who appears to be in pain. An elderly person who seems to be struggling just to walk. A mom with a handicapped child. You get the picture.

Life is so much better when you turn a negative into a positive.  Will you join me in this endeavor?

Have a great weekend and stay safe-

Carolyn

“Life isn’t easy. Together we can make it better.”