Today, walking to lunch, I found a note on my car excoriating me for not pulling up two feet closer to the crosswalk, making a bigger space for the sizable SUV that had wedged itself behind me. The second page of the double-layered chartreuse post-its offered up only the word Jerk! I felt guilty. Then resentful, and started generating comebacks. Several blocks later I realized I still might have moved my Subaru a little so the person behind me could leave more easily. But I hadn’t bothered, hadn’t even considered the possibility.
News and info about poet Paul Watsky
Paul,
Thanks so much for sharing this experience. I could probably point to something similar in my own life any day of the week–and admit my default position is to reciprocate with the same tone of impatience and judgment. Your post offers a lovely opportunity to reflect and wonder—what if I weren’t so quick to react? A wise mentor once said to me, “There is nothing to fear, promote, or defend.” It’s so true–if only we can see it–and imagine the doors that could be opened if we were all able to be open….