As I was driving down the freeway a few days ago, I was struck with the very obvious realization that there is a person driving every single car I see. Duh, right? Just hear me out....
I remember a long time ago mentioning to someone that cars seem to resemble different bugs as they're driving towards you... some have small glowing headlight eyes, others have huge forehead windshields, and others even have weird grid mouths... my 6-year-old brain (I was probably way older, but let's just go with 6 for the sake of my embarassment haha) enjoyed connecting the huge vehicles around me to small, obsolete insects that couldn't harm me at all. The adult I was talking to did not share the same fascination and quickly reprimanded me for such foolish thinking. I was encouraged never to forget that people drive the cars and can do crazy stuff at any moment so you must drive defensively. When you think of cars as bugs, you forget they are operated by people.
So all that came back to me a few days ago as I starred into the faces of drivers coming towards me. Where was she going? From where was he coming? How were they feeling at that very moment? Something clicked in my head- every car has a driver and every driver has a story. I haven't thought of cars as bugs in quite a while, but I also haven't stopped to recognize that each person on the road is at a particular place in life. Perhaps leisurly enjoying the drive while just loving life... or facing frustrating construction and road-work of a difficult situation... maybe sitting through heavy traffic of anxiety and depression... or driving carelessing through the country savoring a sweet breeze of blessings... perhaps navigating through winding, unfamiliar territory... even speeding from one place to the next just to get through life.
When I looked at the faces of the people in the midst of the oncoming traffic, I saw people scarred by the pains of the past, weighed down by the present demands of life, emotionally exhausted from worrying about the future... real people with real problems, not mindless insects driving in perfectly straight lines. Everyone swerves, speeds, stops suddenly, and stresses at some point or another as they try and get from point A to point B, on and off the road. And I tend to expect (or at least appreciate) an abundance of grace and forgivenss from others so I better darn well be giving it out all the more!
Too often I drive as though I'm the only one on the road; too often I live as if the world revolves around me. Life is a journey, and we're all at different places... by keeping that in perspective, perhaps I will refrain from bursting with frustration as often (no promises, though.... I'm a pretty forgetful, self-centered person at times)! So next time you see me caught in the traffic on my mind, I welcome you to slap me up silly and remind me there are other drivers too... and we're all on a journey together.
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