To kick off the Exercises in Empathy series, I would like to share something that happened to me just a few weeks ago.
I was sitting behind a car in the right-turn lane at a red light. According to my driver's ed class 15 years ago, after stopping at a red light and yielding to oncoming traffic or pedestrians, cars are free to turn right. As a mom of young children, I always seem to be running late. So I was annoyed when the driver in front of me seemed to be waiting for a green light. When the light finally turned green, the car still didn't move. I felt a wave of frustration, thinking, "Come on! Are you on your phone or something? It's green! Green means go!"
Clearly, this person must not be paying attention, because the light was green, and they were not moving.
I was about to honk at him or her, when a white car raced through the intersection—right through a red light.
I was instantly humbled. It was I who had not been paying attention. I was so thankful that driver ahead of me had looked all around before turning, because they or I could have been T-boned by the red-light-runner.
I saw the driver ahead of me with gratitude. They saw the bigger picture. It was an important reminder that we cannot always see what someone else sees.
May we together grow in graciousness toward not only other drivers but also those who see what we cannot.
Photo by David Watkis on Unsplash
I am grateful for our guardian angels who protect us with these moments. I always think that the slow truck in front of me (when I can't pass) is a guardian angel protecting from something ahead. I just use the time to be thankful and sing or pray.