Oops... Did I Say That Out Loud?
by T.W. Winslow 

I think we can all benefit from taking a step back and looking at ourselves and our behavior from an outsiders perspective. If you don't like what you see - change it. 

The guy in front of you doesn't move when the light turns green. The lady in 
front of you in the express lane at the supermarket has more than ten items. 
Your husband forgot to take out the trash. Your wife locked her keys in the 
car. Your son spilled grape juice on the carpet... (Insert your choice of 
expletive here.) 

We're all guilty of occasionally (or in my case, more often than I'd like to admit), becoming outraged and saying or doing things which we later regret. It's almost laughable really, we all want understanding, respect and common courtesy from others when we make a mistake or do something stupid, but when it's the other guy who stumbles - watch out! 

I must confess, I most often fell into this category when driving. Always in a hurry, even if I had no place to be, I drove fast and furious. Dare drive under the speed limit in the fast lane and you'd be certain to find my front grill filling your rear view mirror. Ranting, raving and throwing up my hands... I must say, I would have made the perfect poster child for road rage. 

Fortunately, not only for myself, but for motorists everywhere, I finally 
figured out that all this rage and frustration just wasn't worth it. Moreover, I realized that my abusive behavior was not only dangerous, but a reflection of the type of person I was becoming. 

I think we can all benefit from taking a step back and looking at ourselves 
and our behavior from an outsiders perspective. If you don't like what you 
see - change it. For me, all I had to do is to think of those I was berating 
on the roadway and picture that person as someone I loved - my Mom, a 
neighbor, a friend. I certainly would give someone I cared about more 
consideration, so why not apply that same standard to strangers? Ahhhh... 
bingo, the old Golden Rule. 

If we want respect, basic decency, and common courtesy from others, the place to start, is with ourselves. And don't forget to honk hello if we meet on 
the highway - I'll be the courteous driver in the slow lane who happily gives 
you room to pull in front of me. 

...................................................................

T.W. Winslow owns and operates The Mystic Beagle - a free advice web site 
dealing with love, life and relationships. Free advice, romance tips, true 
love stories and more. The Mystic Beagle also publishes a free weekly online 
newsletter. Visit The Mystic Beagle at http://www.mysticbeagle.com 

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