getting the bird

It happened today, it certainly wasn't the first and I know it won't be the last.. Today on my way to Taco Cabana to get a Cabana bowl, I got the big birdie. I was driving in the left hand lane minding my own business. I noticed a car beside me and a car behind me. I was going a little faster than the car next to me so I pass him and then I approach the traffic light as it turns red and stop. The lady behind me is in the right lane now and she stops a little in front of me in the right lane. The next thing I know I hear a loud honking from her and she sticks her hand out the window and sticks her ugly finger out the window and leaves it there for what seems like an eternity - the vile and repulsive thing it was. I turned to look to my left and right to see if there was someone else she was flipping off, but there was no other cars around. So I'm left thinking what the heck did I do? So, I honk back at her. I know I shouldn't have done that.. but I was still confused at what I possibly could have done. So she again decides she was going to flip me off again because apparently I didn't see it enough the first time!! She turns right and I continue on my way.. I left the intersection feeling angry, confused, and then it culiminated in sadness and pity. Even when someone cuts me off and does something worthy of "the bird" I still don't give the bird. I just mutter something to myself like, "you jerk" or "thank you so much for that" as I try to keep my cool.

I just felt sorry for her because it's just so sad to live life with such a hatred and such anger. Why do we feel we have to be this way to each other? Did that possibly make her feel better?? I wish I could have followed her and see how the rest of her day went.. I wonder if the bad Karma reared its ugly hand at her and then slapped her in the face.. and caused her stuff that ugly finger back in her mouth. Unfortunately, I'll never know.. But now I reflect at that beastly gesture and just say, "Wow, I thought I had road rage!"

This is actually a good lesson for me.. When I start to feel that road rage coming on when a driver makes a dumb mistake, I just need to laugh it off and remember how it made me feel when someone did that to me.. and how by doing it I became someone I did not like much at all.

Here is a song that makes me smile.