Hailey describes herself as a mom, wife, Mormon, counselor, and professional panicker with a minor polka dot and zombie obsession, according to her blog Thoughts, Dots, and Tots. The busy mom, loving wife, and carrying member of her community, like the rest of us, gets dissatisfied with life every now and again.
She’s always on the move and in a hurry, due to the numerous hats she wears and a laundry list of duties. When you have somewhere to go, it’s easy to get angry when you find oneself caught behind a slow-moving car, particularly when you need to hurry up and get to work.
On an otherwise average morning, Hailey found herself in this situation. The older SUV in front of her was definitely experiencing problems, but she wasn’t sure what was causing the delay at first. However, as the working mom went closer and spotted a sign on the rear window of the Ford in front of her, everything became evident.
As she saw the words “Learning Stick, sorry for the delay,” Hailey had an epiphany about herself, not the motorist in front of her. It had such an effect on her that she swiftly turned to Facebook after clicking a photo to explain what she had realized about not just herself, but also those of us who share the road and our planet.
As I was pulling into work, I was following this car. The sign in the back window says, “Learning stick sorry for any…
Posted by Thoughts, Dots, and Tots on Friday, 22 December 2017
Hailey adds that she was very patient with their slow shifting, and honestly, they were doing pretty well for still learning. That’s when she had an epiphany and asked herself a difficult question: “Would I have been just as patient if the sign hadn’t been there?” She almost certainly cannot say no, she conceded. That’s when she saw she had a major issue.
They have no idea what someone is going through. They don’t wear signs that depict their personal difficulties, she added. One does not see signs taped to people’s shirts that say, ‘Going through a divorce,’ ‘Lost a child,’ ‘Feeling depressed,’ or ‘Diagnosed with cancer.’
They would certainly be nicer if they could see what those around them are going through. But they shouldn’t have to look for indications or have motives to be kind to strangers. They should do it regardless of whether they understand what is going on. Whether they deserve it or not, Hailey said, before adding, let’s give everyone a little extra patience, kindness, and love.
When it comes to driving, not everybody is always at their best. People sometimes travel for family crises or return home after receiving unpleasant news. We don’t know their tale, but it doesn’t take much to offer people some wiggle room—not just on the road but in life in general. This handwritten note and Hailey’s realization, perhaps, will affect others and serve as a lesson. She may have exploded or overreacted. Instead, she took a big breath and waited patiently. This is a fantastic reminder to be calm, be nice, and give people the time they need to do their tasks. We don’t know what difficulties someone may be experiencing, and a little empathy may go a long way.
