Lent, Feb. 27, 2016

[dreamflower]

I'm a halfway decent driver most of the time; I obey the speed limit, try to avoid tailgating, and stay in my own lane. But I sometimes think of the occasions when I wasn't a good driver, when due to tiredness or brief inattentiveness, I do something stupid and disaster is narrowly averted. I've been known to nod off at the wheel (at least once swerving across the opposite lane and almost into a ditch); at least twice, I have forgotten to turn my lights on at night until someone blinked their lights at me; I have a tendency to rush yellow lights, and sometimes I only come to a rolling stop at stop signs. And I'm sure there are other times I've made dangerous mistakes. Yet when someone else makes a narrowly averted dangerous mistake, such as pulling out in front of me, I tend to get angry.

Tonight, I came across the following anonymous poem as I was trying to find something for my Lent post. It kind of put things in perspective.

Prayers for Strangers

Yesterday I didn’t drive well;
I made a bad mistake.
Thank you God for the stranger
Whose foot slammed on his brake.
All day today I prayed for him,
As I prayed for many more
Who were quick-thinking at the wheel
And saved my life before.

There’s no other gift to give
To a stranger you don’t meet
Than to offer prayers for him
And lay them at God’s feet.

So every time I think about
Some driver who was skilled
And managed to undo a threat
That could have been fulfilled,
I say another prayer
For those strangers I don’t know
Who were wide awake and ready
When I was dim and slow.


Read more: http://www.inspirationalarchive.com/4058/prayers-for-strangers/#ixzz41QF7ipZW

Comments

[claudia603.livejournal.com]

That is a very good point. I tend to get so annoyed when someone does something like pull in front of me or go when it's not their turn at a four-way stop. And then I feel so sheepish when I do it myself...*nods*

[shirebound]

That's wonderful.

[baranduin.livejournal.com]

Marvelous. We should all follow that advice.

[dawn_felagund]

I love the poem. :)

You are really honest about your driving! Most people only admit the mistakes of others but, in their minds, are perfect drivers.

I have become an extremely impatient driver over the years of long commutes back and forth to Baltimore. But I have, to my credit, not let that translate into aggressive driving. I just grumble and curse at people who hold me up. ;) Driving is one of the few things I am truly afraid of, so I tend to be overly cautious.

The poem is a good reminder to remember that no one is perfect and that everyone makes the occasional mistake or bad judgment call. Unfortunately, where I live, a lot of it is malicious or senseless risk-taking (like talking on the phone or texting while driving). Those people I don't forgive or excuse. In fact, if I had my way, their licenses would be taken.