I like to think of driving in the winter as a lesson in teamwork. Usually, I don't like to drive in the winter, but sometimes I get surprisingly excited after a new snowfall or some slick ice. I go out to my car and think, "Alright, Humanity!!! You can do it! If you don't get impatient when I turn slowly around a corner, I won't get mad when you slide through a red light because you are afraid to hit your brakes. We will all work together and it will be OK!"
Yesterday, I was able to live that experience out again. I was slipping and sliding up to a stoplight, praying that Jesus would stop my car before it went into the back of the vehicle ahead of me. Then I looked in my rear view mirror to see a car careening towards mine. It isn't going to stop in time. I just knew it. Sure enough, almost in a dream-like way, she slid into the back of my car.
Put car into park, activate flashers, and open car door to confront the person who played bumper cars. She was apologetic and young while I was surprised to see no damage. I got her information and carried on my way to school. No yelling (not really my style, anyway) and no attempts to make her feel bad. Besides, I had so very nearly done the same thing to the car in front of me.
The rest of the day, I was willing humanity to be patient with one another. Yes, it is going to take longer to get anywhere. But, if we work together, we can all get home in one piece. At times it leads me to inordinate pride in the human race: no honking horns, no dramatic zooming away, and no freaking out over slight delays.
You did it, Humanity!!!! You treated other humans like they mattered!
Like I said, sometimes new snow makes me a bit excited. It gives us the chance to show a little patience and see the needs of others as important. And we could always use a little bit more of that.
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