This is an open letter to the guy who threw his hands up at me in traffic yesterday…
Truth is, I don’t really care. But it made me think. So really, I guess this is a thank you letter to the guy who threw his hands up at me in traffic yesterday.
In his defense, the light had turned green approximately .027 seconds before his horn honked and his hands were in the air. I thought to myself, “Dude, first of all, I’m going. Second of all, if you only knew the day I’ve had.”
If he could only hear the hungry babies screaming in the backseat.
If only he knew we were on the way to yet another doctor’s appointment for a 102-degree fever.
If he only knew that my checking account had just been overdrawn for the 3rd time this month because filling up our cars and buying basic groceries is like taking out a second mortgage.
If he could only see the pile of medical bills I’ve been up sorting through all morning trying to figure out how in the world they’re going to get paid.
If he knew what a toll my mental health is taking on my mind and body.
If he could read the text from my husband telling me he’s having to work his 5th overtime shift this week, which means it’ll just be me and the boys for dinner – again.
Let me stop here and say, I realize my “problems” seem small – that’s because, hallelujah, they are.
But what if … I had just been leaving my daddy’s funeral?
What if the doctor had just diagnosed my baby boy with a rare form of childhood cancer?
What if my husband had just informed me that he didn’t love me anymore and he was moving out?
What if I had just lost my job and had no idea how I was going to feed my family?
What if I had just left from visiting my mama who has late-stage Alzheimer’s and she didn’t know who I was?
What if I had just left the cemetery from visiting my five-year-old brother’s grave?
What if they had just told me they couldn’t find the heartbeat of my unborn baby?
What if the treatment wasn’t working and I only had weeks or days to live?
And in all of that, I didn’t move fast enough for you at a stoplight?
I guess what I’m getting at is – kindness. We really have no idea what’s going on in the car in front of us. We don’t know the pain or the chaos or the weight of it all. But as believers, we do know the Healer, a peace that passes comprehension, and the One whose yolk is light.
So, Mister Whoever You Are, thank you for the perspective, and I’m sure you had somewhere you really needed to be, and you know what, I have no idea what you had going on. It could’ve been the worst day of your life, but remember, it also could’ve been the worst day of mine.
My challenge is to be slow to throw our hands up. Slow to anything that isn’t loving or kind.
Let’s love each other, and show Jesus, even at a red light.
