Joy, love, beauty…

All were absent from my mind as I received my first speeding ticket the other day. It left me thinking about the sheer number of hours I spend driving, burned away like the cigarette ash that just got flicked out of the car in front of me.

But as my anger receded, I was able to more thoroughly appreciate all of the different emotions driving can inspire.

I realized that driving is a world of its own. It’s a world with its own etiquette, its own stereotypes, and its own beauty. I began to be more perceptive of the different personalities on the road.

I would notice the car that humbly waited for pedestrians to pass rather than nearly pummeling them over while making its right turn a whopping 20 seconds sooner than if it had waited. I would in turn appreciate the pedestrian who hustled across the street, so as to minimalize his interruption on the flow of traffic.

My thank-you wave after being let in a long line gained resolve. My anger towards the two cars at the back of the left-turn line obviously running a red light turned into a sort of perverse amusement.

As a pedestrian, people shouting random obscenities as they drove by turned into my best friends. No one could put a bigger smile on my face.

So here I am, experiencing much more joy, love, and beauty on the road.

I have convinced myself that individuals should take steps to drive in a happier state, even if it means simply viewing the same situation differently. Just think, instead of letting road rage consume you, you start feeling a bit giddy. It can make the difference between a really bad day and a quirky one.