What is going on?

In the last four days, I have been beeped by three car drivers.

Now I have to say that driving ranks about 100 on my 100 favourite things to do. But in case you do find yourself in a vehicle with me, and I am driving, I am a safe driver. I may get us lost, but we will eventually arrive safely.

The reason I have been beeped three times in the last four days is that I have been waiting for pedestrians to cross the road. I have been beeped because I have not wanted to plough down other humans.

The first time it happened, I did what most of us do in those situations, assume it is someone else being beeped, and then I looked in my mirror to see an angry driver shouting at me!

I was slightly confused as to why I was at the brunt of their anger and then realised it was because I was waiting for four people to fully cross the street, and not give them a fright by driving close behind them.

The anger from the driver was so penetrating that I actually carried the incident with me for an hour or so, I was shaken and confused, the only other option I had was to run people over.

The next day, a similar incident, when I was waiting for a mum and toddler to cross the road, I got beeped.

And then yesterday, I was beeped by an angry woman because I was blocking her from moving forward. I could not move forward, because to move forward, would mean I would have to plough into 10+ pedestrians.

I went home and shared this information with my husband, with the opening line, “What is going on?”

He then shared with me that the same has also happened to him a few times recently.

We mused over why this is occurring so frequently, I believed we landed on ‘disconnection’.

I don’t know for a fact that people are getting angrier, I do know from the latest research that people are getting lonelier and that includes disconnection from self and others.

There is a lot of anger and hate going on in the world. I know that I have a choice in how I respond, and I will continue to honour the welfare of others. Because it is in these small moments that we are reminded that we need to care for each other.

We are about to enter a very intense time of year, I invite you to stay connected to yourself so that you can stay connected to others.

In this time of year, I double down on the practices I have which connect me to myself so that I can remain connected to other people, including strangers crossing the street.

That is what is going on for me.

What is going on for you?

Wishing you a weekend of caring. xxx