On my way home from work a few Fridays ago I was cut off by an SUV. My drive to and from work takes me along a wonderful four lane road that has a grassy median and a breathtaking view of a lake. During my drive this guy sped up to tailgate the person in the lane next to me then proceeded to cut into my lane only to hit the brakes due to slowing traffic up ahead. In a calm, yet defensive manner I hit the brakes and as I put my hands up in the air let out a "Come one.”
Seeing my displeasure, the Mario Andretti of the yuppie mobile slowed down -10 under the speed limit to be exact - and gave me a single finger salute of endearment. I laughed it off as I attempted to pass him to avoid his petty game only to have him speed up, boxing me in with the car next to me.
On the remainder of my drive home my wheels turned in my head as fast as the ones on my car. What will be my next post, I thought. The past weeks I've spent so much time in personal reflection and discernment about my life and the direction I'm "called" and "wanting" to take, as well as my writing and what the next step will be for me. I’m nearly finished with the application process for grad school and I’m beginning my search for a literary agent for my manuscript, among a few other life adventures. But here's what I pondered after my classroom session in the confines of my car:
It's funny how in life parents give kids a time out for their tomfoolery, teachers can toss out detentions to students for being dumb, during a guy’s night you can pull a buddy’s ‘Man Card’ for acts that are less than manly or for acts that are weak-sauce-applesauce…or for any man who ever says something as stupid as weak-sauce-applesauce.
But wouldn’t it be great to be able to pull out the ‘You’re a Dumbass’ card to give to someone when they’re… a dumbass and be able to do it without fear of being beaten up or retaliated against. What about if you could have the ability to shrink someone - like in the game of Mario - so that after someone commits an act of doochery you could press a button and shrink them to about two inches high for about five minutes so you can literally walk all over the person who attempted to walk all over you…or in my case, who nearly caused an accident.
Or, better yet, wouldn’t it be great if people just exhibited a bit more humility?
In the book Mere Christianity, C.S. Lewis wrote that “true humility is not thinking less of yourself; it is thinking of yourself less.” It's so simple to say, yet so challenging to live out, but just imagine the world we live in if there was more humility exhibited. A world where people thought less about their own self-interests and focused more on how they could better the others around them.
There wouldn't be as much crime, war and hate. There would be more married couples than divorced and single. Governments could learn to work with and support one another...and properly, not politically, support their own citizens. It is through humility that we can put aside ourselves to better love, serve and lead others.
One of my favorite writers, Ralph Waldo Emerson, put it in simpler terms saying that “a great man is always willing to be little.” Imagine the humility it takes to back down after being run off the road or being walked all over at work or being one upped by your friend who is a one upper. Being the bigger person also means being the one to take a step back and at times swallowing your pride. If that doesn’t work you could always whip out your “You’re a Dumbass card.”
No comments:
Post a Comment