#129 Traffic

Yesterday I was on my way from work to pick up my youngest son and go home when I get stuck in a bunch of traffic. I was trying to make a left turn from one busy street onto another but there are two left turn lanes with a dedicated arrow, so it’s usually not that big a deal. Yesterday it seemed to take forever. When the light would change one or two cars would go and the rest of us would inch forward. I couldn’t see anything up ahead that would be impeding progress, but I knew there must have been something. As I was following the light cycle and knew it would be just about time for the arrow to turn green again, I heard sirens. My heart sank; just what I needed, another delay. Sure enough, a sheriff’s car with lights blazing blocked the intersection and then another one came along behind it. I started getting really annoyed. It looked like I was never going to be able to move from that spot.

Then I realized the second sheriff’s car was leading a funeral procession. There is a church on that corner (actually two) and the cars were coming from there. Immediately my attitude changed. I mentally sent condolences to the occupants of the cars. I hope their loved one had a long full life and died peacefully after being able to say goodbye. I will never know whose funeral that was or who the mourners were, but it touched me in a way a funeral procession never would have before.

In the past I would have stayed annoyed, probably grumbling (or worse) to myself in the car. Yesterday my anger melted away and was replaced by compassion, empathy, sympathy and understanding.

Of course by the time I was finally able to detour around the two stalled cars in the left turn lane (maybe only was stalled and the other was with the first?) and make my left turn I was back to being annoyed, but the moment stayed with me.

I have a new appreciation for other’s life changes. This is not how I would have chosen to get here, but I think it’s a good thing that I’ve arrived.