I don’t drive in traffic much any more. I spend most of my time here on my mountain, working and enjoying the view out my window. So, a trip to town provides food for thought that I don’t get in my relatively isolated day-to-day lifestyle.
Today I made such a trip to see a friend of mine. As I watched the cars race about at a dizzying pace (for no apparent reason, to my mind) it occurred to me that we see this as “traffic”. You’re warned to watch for “traffic” when you cross the street; we excuse our lateness by saying we were stuck in “traffic”. By that we mean a whole lot of vehicles in one place: cars, trucks, buses. all jammed up trying to get somewhere.
The thing is…yes, there are a lot of motor vehicles on the road. But, we rarely stop to think that inside each one of these tin boxes is at least one living, breathing human being. The car that cut you off back at that last exit really means that there was a person inside who, whether it was because of carelessness, stupidity, or hostility, made a decision to be rude and/or dangerous. “Traffic” is really a bunch of people, all surrounded by their own personal tin cans. In most case we don’t know who they are; whether they’re good and kind, tall, thin, fat, young old, evil, angry, or innocent, all we see is “traffic”
The anaolgy this presents us with is this: even when not encased in steel and fiberglass, walking down the street, working in an office or behind a counter or playing tennis…each of these people is still encased in a shell of flesh and blood, mind and matter, emotion and thought. They are human “traffic” – we don’t know them and sometimes we don’t want to because of the way they look or act. But as with the cars and trucks, we don’t know who’s really inside that tin can made of flesh and blood. Each body we see carries a unique spirit, and that spirit may be vastly different from what we see of its vehicle.
It would seem wise, therefore, to refrain from judging anyone based on what bodily vehicle they inhabit; that rusting, dented Chevrolet might just hold a being worthy of our love and respect.
You know how to cheer a person up Michael when things seem dark and gloomy. I am glad I came and looked at your website may you prosper in life and be the best you you can be. Speak to you soon, bye!
Well, it certainly sounds as though you are in a transitional time! And you’re to be commended on following your heart. 🙂
At this stage, you’re reassuring yourself that you are in control…that you have the power over your own life. So, if it offends a few people, that’s their hangup to deal with.
In the next stage you’ll be learning that they are also pawns in someone else’s game, so you won’t need to react as strongly because you realize that they are lost children just like we all are at times. You’ll learn to uphold yourself while at the same time teaching them through Divine Love.
I would never advise anyone to up and quit a job because they’re angry, without giving it a second thought. But if you have options available, there’s no point in staying where you’re not learning anything anymore.
It doesn’t pay to plan too far ahead. Try to listen to your intuition, take whatever the next step is, and hold an attitude of joyfully wondering: what’s next?!
It’s all a great adventure. You’re a lucky woman… 🙂
I had a meeting yesterday and I spoke up for myself they thought, oh she’s not going to say anything, she’s stupid anyway. Oh sweetie, they had another thing coming for them so let me tell you Michael it went like this: the manager was giving me attitude from Sunday and being that I’m very quiet at work and they have no clue of who I am they don’t like it. So yesterday they thought they were going to tripple tag team me and disrespect me, but it did not go down that way. I was cutting the manager off I was asking pertinent questions and I had a tone on me that she considered disrespectful, of course, she try to tell me I wasn’t on my J-O-B but I stayed in my ground and spoke up for myself despite the looks and the I’m lost comment and I don’t know what you are talking about. I thought to myself you intimidated me once it is not going to happen again.
I remember one of your articles spoke about not worrying about what happened in the past or what you think is going to happen in the future, worry about the present moment and appreciate it. As I was speaking up for myself I said look at how things are working out, in the first meeting they did not let me get a word in and I was feeling less than but this go around I was not having it so now they want to have a conversation with me and talk things out. But my most memorable comment was people like to be treated like dogs,like animals but when you come and be respectful and treat people like human beings they don’t like it, they hate you. People enjoy it when you act a fool and I looked her straight in the eye (yes we did lock eyes) and it was a beautiful thing. When the day was over everyone was saying goodbye Mercedes, but the manager had me laughing she told me thank you Mercedes and I said to myself thank you for what I did not do anything all day all I did was sit my tail down on the couch. Michael it’s crazy they even went as far as to say your problem is you are too professional maybe you need to switch it up a little bit and not come in with your slacks, nice shirts,and shoes.
I’m leaving this job on Monday it’s not like I don’t have other options or other doors open for me I’ll be alright, I got this far and things worked out. I was put in that environment to learn a lesson so it is preparing me for the next step in life.
That’s interesting about your work…you mean they purposely try to make it hard on you? Seems stupid to me. But at least maybe you’ve seen the worst of it now.
Yeah, this WordPress.com is great…for being easy. There are a lot of things I can’t do with it, but if all you want is a blog it’s the best choice. If you don’t want to mess with a special picture at the top or anything you can set it up in about 5 minutes with no help.
Yes Michael, you are defitnetly right about that. This is off the topic but I love the fact that it is so easy to post a comment you don’t have to go through a whole bunch of steps to post a comment- it’s easy and I am loving it. Okay, back to the topic! so like I was saying,I am you you are me and we both need to respect one another not only to be blessed in return but because it is the right thing to do.
Do you remember I was telling you I was making so many mistakes at work and stuff like that? Well, come to find out I got a chance to speak to one of my co-workers and she told me that is just one of the phases that new employees go through so that they could see if the person is tough enough to work there. I told her, you know why would you want to run someone out of their job, when you live like that do you know what you do to yourself. Call me naive or ignorant but being that I honestly don’t live like that I was just surprised that people actually do stuff like that. I’m more welcoming and receptive to people and I have my bs with me but when it’s all said and done I’m still a decent person- I’ve been told that.
Yep. Plus, whatever judgements you put on other people almost _always_ reflects the very problems you yourself have…
That is what I’ve been telling my sister for a while -you can’t go around judging people because you are just a screw up like everyone else. Most people that walk around judging people talk crap for several years but eventually they fall and when they fall it’s hard for them to get back up.