YOU’RE WELCOME
Driving the car today, I got stuck on the inside lane behind a slow-moving truck. Totally my fault. I should have read the road better.
So I indicated my desire to pull out.
Translated, that meant “Help. I’ve messed up here. Can you let me out please?”
And a car behind me flashed its lights back to me. Meaning “Yup. I can see the mess you’ve got into. It’s OK to pull out in front of me”.
Nice. So I pulled out, and flashed my lights in response. “Thanks”.
And they flashed back. “You’re welcome”.
So much is good about that exchange.
I knew I’d messed up, asked for help, that help was given by somebody not pressing their own agenda, and we all moved forward together.
It was a useful reminder to translate that behaviour into other relationships. Workplace or otherwise.
Maybe into relationships that have become more challenging over time. A bit more entrenched. That need something to shift them.
I can admit my mistakes. It’s OK. We all make ‘em.
And I can cut people a bit more slack when they’ve got themselves into a hole. We all do that too.
I can say “thank you” for the many acts of graciousness I experience.
Perhaps above all else, I don’t need to make a big noise about being right. So what if I am right? That driver didn’t need to let me in, but they did it anyway.
No road-rage. Just moving forward together.
In that moment of graciousness, I benefited.
And you know what? I suspect the other driver did too.