I live in Austin Texas. There are two major thoroughfares running north and south through the city. Loop 1/MoPac and I-35. Between 7 and 9 AM and 4:30 and 6:30 PM MoPac becomes a parking lot. I-35, well, let’s just say it is a parking lot from one end of the city to the other most of the time. Though I try to avoid these areas as much as possible, I do get stuck in one of these traffic jams from time to time. Getting caught in a traffic jam is frustrating. Within any traffic jam, I’ve learned to categorize everyone into one of three categories: The Jerks, The Imbeciles, and then the most important category, Me.
The first category of course are those drivers that are driving faster than you. Weaving in and out of traffic, pulling in front of you at the last second, barely missing becoming an accident statistic with every turn or push of the gas they make. When this happens to you your first thought is not “Oh gees this person is driving kind of fast.” No, to me the thought that comes to my mind is “Gees, what a JERK!” Can you relate?
Then there is a second driver. The Imbecile. This is the person that is driving slower than you’re driving. Taking their sweet time and letting people pull in front of them. Allowing wide gaps between their car and the car in front of them. Giving just the gap needed for the Jerks to quickly pull into the gap. Each person they allow to slip in front of them puts you one car further from home. When it happens over and over again, you say “Gees what an IMBECILE!” Right????
Finally the third and most important category is Me! Yes, Me! It doesn’t matter whether I’m driving like Dale Earnhardt, Jr.( the Jerks) or like Grandma Moses (the Imbeciles) in a Model T, whatever approach I’m taking to drive at that time in my eyes is OK. I’m the only normal driver out there just trying to get home as soon (and hopefully as safely) as possible. I totally lose site of the fact that others are sitting in their cars calling me the Jerk or Imbecile.
I’ve been in a few minor accidents over the years. In most cases, as I look back on them, they could be tied to one thing, impatience. This was true no matter whose fault it was. When we are impatient, things are usually not going the way we want them to go so we try to do something to change our situation to benefit us.
Impatience is often a beginning stage of anger. The more impatient we become the angrier we will be. Decisions made in an angry state more often than not end up being decisions we regret. Can you relate?
Proverbs 19:11 says, “A mans wisdom gives him patience. It is to his glory to overlook an offense.”
I would bet that King Solomon had camel (traffic) jams in mind when he wrote this passage. He had to have at least thought about it don’t you think? OK maybe not, but the point being, there are times when we are stressed and life is not going according to plan or not at the pace we would like it to go. Patience and forgiveness can keep us from making decisions we might regret in the future.
Very very true. I have to say this post brings memories of my precious Uncle, and I have to share a story. The girls were young, and we were in OKC staying with your Mom and Dad, my Dad in the hospital facing a serious surgery the next day. Your Mom and Dad, my Mom, the girls and I went out to eat, and decided to get some TCBY on the way home (which your Mom called Total Yogurt). Uncle Wendall pulled into the wrong parking lot, and giving “the look”, proceeded to just drive over the curb into the next parking lot. I’m sure you can hear your Mom saying, “Ohhh, Wendall.” We laughed so hard, just the right medicine we needed that evening. I miss them all so much.
What a great story Jackie. It is so funny when people mention dad and “the look’ everyone that knew him knew what that meant. And yes it was always followed by mom saying “ohhhh Wendall”. I remember when I was in my teens some things dad did seemed so embarrassing, but as I grew older would have tears in my eyes laughing so hard at some of his reactions to things. Mom, dad, and your parents were so tight……love you and thanks for your comments.