KC Los Angeles

Have you ever had a time when you are driving in your car and you seem to lose track of how you got from point A to point B? It’s almost like being on autopilot in a somewhat hypnotic state.

Recently, I was driving on Ventura Boulevard and there has been so much construction as of late that traffic has been really heavy, and people have been really cranky.

I was on autopilot and suddenly noticed this crazy person trying to weave in and out of traffic obviously in a hurry to get somewhere. What I didn’t realize was he was in a hurry to get to me.

I stopped at a red light and he pulled up alongside me, rolled down his window and began cursing me out!

He was waving his hands up and down, screaming and spitting. I was genuinely taken aback and asked “What did I do?” He looked at me incredulously and spewed forth some more expletives followed by “You stupid bitch”.

My heart started pounding and I was about to start cursing back, but then I stopped myself, because this quote I recently read on twitter popped into my head:

“Let There Be Peace On Earth. And Let It Begin With Me.”

Okay, I know that sounds like an “If You Build It, He Will Come” moment, but that quote had really stuck with me!

I figured I must have cut him off unintentionally, and I really didn’t want to get sucked into that all too familiar feeling of road rage.

So, instead I simply said “I’m sorry” and flashed him the peace sign.
Sounds so corny, I know,  but the funny thing is it stopped him… dead in his tracks.
He just stared at me dumbfounded, shook his head and drove off.

I rode home a little bit shaky and filled with adrenaline, but glad that it did not escalate.
There is so much anger and impatience in the world.

Why is it that so many people seem to be in a rush all the time?
Life may be short, but there is always time for courtesy.

Peace.