Driving Ego, November 14, 2012 Daily Reflection

Spencer pretending to drive

Spencer was pretending to be a race car driver in this cool car at a children’s museum. He appears to be so focused and determined to win. He did not hear us when we said it was someone else’s turn to sit in the car. Finally he got out and someone else was able to sit down.

We ride around in our cars like Spencer daily, focused, determined and not listening to others. We get into our comfy cars (for the most part) turn on our music, adjust the temperature control and we start to drive. We notice the other cars on the road with us but we are focused on where we are going, determined to get there within a set amount of time come hell or high water. If someone is going too slowly in front of us we are personally offended. If someone is going to fast behind us we think I am going to slow down even more to teach them a lesson. We drive with our egos. We are focused, determined and always right in our cars.

Honestly, where did this attitude evolve from that we are more important than anyone else on the road? Why do we think that where we are going at any given moment is more important than the next person? Why do we drive with such egos?

I am going to issue a challenge: for one day try to drive without an ego. This means no yelling at a red light. No – trying to teach the driver behind you a lesson; No – angry eyes when you pass a person who was going slower than you; No – yelling at all in your car.

Instead think to yourself; maybe that person is driving fast because he is trying to get to the hospital to be with his mother before she dies; maybe that person is going so slowly because she has nothing left to do in her life but drive around in her car, she is that lonely, maybe that red light is there to slow me down so I can look around and notice the fall color.

Today, try to change your attitude as you drive and see if you become less angry, more open, less stressed and more at ease on the road. Try to be focused not on your ego but on others.

2 Comments

  1. Jan Redle

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