I was pulling out of a parking space the other day when all of a sudden a young man about 17 years old walked up to the front of my car and started swearing at me. He called me something that I've seldom been called in my life - and I've spent my life with hundreds of teens. Who was he and why was he so mad at me?
Apparently as I was backing out, he was behind me. Now I'm known for being a great driver. Ask anyone. When I got in the car, there was no one standing in the parking lot at all especially near me. When I backed out very slowly, there were no cars visible in either of my rear mirrors or as I looked to the right. No visible people either. So apparently this person was in my blind spot..that small space between the mirrors and how far you can see when you turn around.
Ok..so he was there. I'll take responsiblity for my part of this because these things do happen. But what about his responsibility. I was going no more than 5 miles an hour. Shouldn't he have been looking where he was going too? And even if he was lost in thought, was the proper response to swear at me and look at me like I had murdered everyone he cared about?
I think the big thing here is that this person was all about him. How dare I drive near him when he was there? Kind of a selfish view of the world. We're all in this together and each need to take responsibility for our actions and at least be understanding on some level about things that happen. His response was way out of proportion to the situation. I was tempted to open my window and have a conversation but I felt that someone who would react so quickly wouldn't be open to reason at that moment.
So what's our place in all this? Everyone who drives will at one time or another have someone in their blind spot. Everyone. One day it will be us in someone's blind spot and if we want to have a world with less stress and more understanding, we have to remember that we too have been in that situation.
So wherever you are young man walking in RI, hope you remember me when you too are in the same situation. And remember that I didn't confront you or swear at you. The world is not about any one of us. We're all in this thing together.
Thursday, February 15, 2007
Monday, February 12, 2007
Secrets of Success for Teens: Valentine's Day
“If I could give you one gift, I would give you the ability to see yourself as I see you so that you could see how truly special you are.”
Some thoughts on Valentine’s Day
For those of you that have a special Valentine, be sure to use their best style to show them you care. If they’re visual – make sure you give them something they can see – a gift and a card. If they’re auditory – make sure you tell them how you feel about them. If they’re kinesthetic – make sure you hug them or hold their hand so they’ll feel how you care for them.
For those of you who don’t currently have a special someone, Valentine’s day can seem difficult. Just because you don’t currently have a special Valentine does not mean someone special doesn’t care about you. You might not have found out yet. Maybe they’re too shy to let you know. This might be a good time to imagine what you want that special person to be like.
Many people have found the person of their dreams by writing their vision. Maybe you could use this Valentine’s Day to describe in detail all the qualities you’d like and wouldn’t like in the person who will someday share your life. Another thing to consider. It might be better being on your own than being in a bad relationship. Spend the day focusing on who you have in your life rather than who you don’t have.
This might be a good time to remember how strong we really are and how much we appreciate all the people in our lives, not just our sweetheart. Take a minute today to tell the people in your life how much you care about them and how lucky you are that they are in your life. This might include your parents, your brothers and sisters, your grandparents, your friends, maybe even your teachers? How about the people in the military? Maybe it’s a good day to write a letter to soldier.
Give it a try…I can promise you it will change your day in ways you can’t even imagine!
And have a wonderful Valentine’s Day!
Some thoughts on Valentine’s Day
For those of you that have a special Valentine, be sure to use their best style to show them you care. If they’re visual – make sure you give them something they can see – a gift and a card. If they’re auditory – make sure you tell them how you feel about them. If they’re kinesthetic – make sure you hug them or hold their hand so they’ll feel how you care for them.
For those of you who don’t currently have a special someone, Valentine’s day can seem difficult. Just because you don’t currently have a special Valentine does not mean someone special doesn’t care about you. You might not have found out yet. Maybe they’re too shy to let you know. This might be a good time to imagine what you want that special person to be like.
Many people have found the person of their dreams by writing their vision. Maybe you could use this Valentine’s Day to describe in detail all the qualities you’d like and wouldn’t like in the person who will someday share your life. Another thing to consider. It might be better being on your own than being in a bad relationship. Spend the day focusing on who you have in your life rather than who you don’t have.
This might be a good time to remember how strong we really are and how much we appreciate all the people in our lives, not just our sweetheart. Take a minute today to tell the people in your life how much you care about them and how lucky you are that they are in your life. This might include your parents, your brothers and sisters, your grandparents, your friends, maybe even your teachers? How about the people in the military? Maybe it’s a good day to write a letter to soldier.
Give it a try…I can promise you it will change your day in ways you can’t even imagine!
And have a wonderful Valentine’s Day!
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