Hand-Ups

Taking a day off from the 10 Dumbest Mistakes - cuz I think I discovered a new one yesterday that warrants a shout-out. Of course, as usual, I do the best learning by mistaking.

So yesterday I was driving home from my day at work. It was not abnormally late (like 7 pm), but I was tired, my contacts were killing me, and my Thirstbuster was gone by early afternoon, which might have contributed to my being a little cranky. I was almost home when I got to the intersection at Thornydale and Cortaro, and although the turn light was only yellow, the car directly in front of me slammed on its brakes and came to a sudden stop. I sat in disbelief as I sat and watched the light turn to red. Usually when I see that, I'm at least halfway through the intersection. Oh well. I figured I didn't need to be in a huge hurry anyway.

There was a very thin homeless man selling newspapers in the median. Usually, I'm good for a buck or two, but I didn't want to rummage for change, was in a hurry to get home, and so I avoided eye contact, which can usually spare me at least some guilt or shame for not being a good enough person to help a fellow human out.

The guy in front of me, who was too chicken to run the yellow, engaged the guy in conversation. No big deal. In fact, I thought it was nice. And then as the North and Southbound traffic slowed, and I anticipated our quickly arriving green light, the guy gets OUT of his car, and pops his trunk. The light turns green. I start to panic. What is this guy doing? Is he looking in his trunk for a weapon to beat the homeless man with? Rifling through bags to find a couple of quarters to donate? Did the car break down? What the heck? Hurry up! The light is green-green-green! Let's go, Buddy! No time to mingle.

And then I realized what the guy in the car in front of me was doing in his trunk. He pulled out what appeared to be a new (or in very condition) jacket, and gave it to the guy on the median, who almost started bawling. The guy in the car slammed the trunk closed, waved an "i'm sorry" at me, and then got back into his car and drove away, barely making the yellow, and leaving me once again at that darn intersection, with a red light, and a very happy guy on the median, selling newspapers, and wearing a new jacket.

Dumb Mistake:
Being in too big a hurry to notice the little miracles that occur around us every day. And forgetting that the world really is a pretty friendly place.

JB Holland
Life Coach
Tucson, AZ