Swipe Out
Around 11pm, I exited the highway onto a double turn lane. In the left lane, I inched out for a right on red. The truck next to me, pulling a giant trailer, followed in full force. They gunned their gas and I watched as momentum swung the trailer into my lane. I sped my VW Beetle into the opposite side of the double yellow. One car, in oncoming traffic, switched lanes so we were all “safe” and no one was smashed.
I kept my distance and semi-expected the trailer truck to pull over—maybe, at least, wave apologetically. If cars could talk, I would have appreciated a “Green Beetle, man, we almost took you out. You okay little buddy? So sorry.”
But we weren’t in the Disney movie Cars. The mechanical beast was either oblivious to the position that it put me in or chose not to care. I almost called the police and played the conversation in my mind:
“So, there is this trailer-truck and it doesn’t seem to have a regard for anyone on the road. They are going to swipe someone out without some intervention.”
I imagined the 911- person’s response: “So you are safe, but you almost weren’t. And multiple cars could have collided, but they didn’t? And you are wanting us to track down that ‘trailer truck’ as you call it?”
“YES! Exactly that. Please stop it before it hurts itself or others!”
Photo by Hayden Walker on Unsplash
Weeks later, I still feel unsettled. I replay the scene and tear up because there is an obvious connection: someone very dear to me doesn’t realize how their choices are driving me off the road. As they plow forward, the back end of their actions swipe people out. Others don’t feel safe next to them.
I know this is not the “normal” Brave Tutu Christmas piece. However, unfortunately, I also know that many can relate. This holiday amplifies unintentional hurt loved ones can cause.
Does my story resonate as you struggle to give space to someone who’s oblivious that their actions are heavy weapons to dodge? After making that emergency call to them, is the best thing to let them drive their own road and pray they realize the weight they are pulling has capacity for harm?
What are you doing for self-care this season? How are you keeping eyes on the road, setting healthy boundaries and creating space for yourself?
Photo by Maëliss Demaison on Unsplash
Remember,
Your Brave Tutu (You’re brave, too-too!)
-Take courage in delight. Discover power in small moments.
I recommend checking out some past holiday posts for comfort and self-care: