People and Patience

As a business owner and a salesperson I have always had to do a lot of driving. Over the years I have learned to be patient and stay calm, but a couple of weeks ago I really blew it. I was in a bad mood and ended up being very rude to another driver, taking their parking spot. I don’t know what got into me but I immediately felt bad and regretted it. I instantly knew I made a mistake but there was no way to correct it because the other driver was gone. (What in the heck is wrong with me!)

On Friday morning this week, I was headed to work and the traffic was really heavy on Bake Parkway as I neared my office. There was a black pickup truck up ahead and I noticed that a small car changed lanes suddenly right in front of him and then changed lanes again to get into the left turn lane. The guy in the black truck was obviously angry because he laid on his horn and stuck his middle finger out the window. It seemed like a ridiculous response for two reasons, a) the car that cut in front of him didn’t slow him down because it didn’t stay in front of him and b) since he kept his “gesture” going as he passed by a dozen cars in the left lane, it seemed like he was giving every single person turning left the same single finger salute. I laughed about it… but only for a second…because it reminded me of my own rude behavior.

On that same Friday evening, I was headed home from work and the traffic was really heavy on Coast Highway in Dana Point. Again there was a pickup truck (a white one this time) directly in front of me and we were both stopped behind about 30 other cars at a stop light. Way up ahead I could see that somebody was trying to pull out from a shopping center onto Coast Highway but none of the cars in our lane would let him in. The light turned red again and as I sat there I noticed the white truck had a bumper sticker that read, “Pacific Coast Church – San Clemente”. I had planned to let the guy from the shopping center pull out in front of me (now that’s my normal behavior!) but the guy in the white truck beat me to it. That made me smile and restored my faith in my fellow man…and myself.

I know in my heart that I always want to do the right thing. But I also know that I am human and therefore I will make mistakes. However, if I can learn from my mistakes then hopefully I can cut down on them in the future. What I learned last week is that whether you do the right thing or the wrong thing you’re going to have to live with it forever...and living with regret is no way to live!  

Patience is something you admire in the driver behind you

but scorn in the one ahead. 

                                                                   ~ Mac McCleary