By Becki Balok

I goofed. I admit it. I pulled out into the left-most lane of a service drive and a merging pick-up truck (who I knew could not stay in that lane) perceived my going where he was coming from offensive.

I assumed he would slow down as he exited -- he sped-up. I assumed he would pull over either to the center lane or to the far right -- he stayed in my lane. And was he angry! I guess that’s why he decided to teach me a lesson.

First, he got very close to my bumper. Then he got into the middle lane and started to come over into mine, while right next to my car. I slowed down. But, he came over again. And with various hand gestures he proceeded to exit at the next right.

Welcome to the highway of life -- some people are merging when they shouldn’t, some are driving too slow, others too fast; someone is always doing something that is not quite right or up to your own standards. Someday, probably most days, you’ll find yourself making a mistake and driving like those you get angry with. And another will find your driving very irritating -- it’s like an endless highway loop with potholes.

As drivers, we feel it is our responsibility, our duty, to teach the "bad driver" a lesson.

I just want to go on record and say, if the driver really wanted to teach me something that evening, the best lesson would have been one of forgiveness.

I already knew I made a mistake, and the other driver’s reckless response did not change that. In the moment, I needed to be forgiven not made a fool.

Let’s begin the New Year by interrupting old behavior patterns. If you pull-out in front of me, cut me off, drive too slow, too fast, whatever -- I respond not with a hand gesture, honking horn, or reckless behavior but with a blessing. I give you a break. I say a prayer for your safe journey.

Why? So when I make a mistake, you give me a break, you say a prayer for my safe journey.

Interrupting old patterns creates new experiences. Imagine the calmness of reacting without anger to each and every mistake another driver makes. Imagine the joy of knowing that when you make a mistake, you’ll be given a break, another driver will cut some slack for you, and send you a blessing. Finally imagine owning your own driving mistakes without being made a fool.

This new behavior is like a freshly paved, new loop on the highway of life – a loop of higher consciousness, one of mutual forgiveness, kindness, and compassion.

So, the next time you have the urge to teach a "bad driver" a lesson -- let it be a lesson of forgiveness. Give the poor soul a break. Cut them some slack. Send them a blessing not a curse. It’s a lesson worth learning, in fact, it’s what life is all about.

Copyright © 2000 by Becki Balok