Parking Lot Road Rage

I saw a close-up view of road rage the other day.

The angry words were flying with a nice glare thrown in. I know this because, well, it was aimed at me.

What made it more interesting was that I wasn’t driving at the time.

Actually, I wasn’t even in my car.

My offense? I didn’t return my shopping cart to the proper space in the store parking lot.

Yep, that’s right, that's my crime. In my defense, though, I did make sure it was wedged solidly in a groove in the parking lot pavement.

As soon as I was satisfied that the cart was not budging, I turned to get in my car and was startled by a loud, long blast of a car horn. Hmmm…didn’t see any potential accidents or thefts so I turned again to open my car door.

There was that horn again!

This time, I spotted the owner. A woman with a young man in the car pulled into the spot facing me, laying on the horn. I watched her get out of her car and march towards me with arms swinging (this is how I know there was a glare).

The young man that was in the car with her didn’t glance my way but sprinted into the store. He was out of there. No doubt, he had an inkling of what was coming and wanted no part of it.

I had no such escape.

I have to admit, though, the anger in her words was actually something to behold. Wow, what passion! I caught phrases about my rudeness, my recklessness, my carelessness and so forth. After observing my actions for 30 seconds or so, she confidently and firmly delivered her testimony of my character. It was futile to attempt to offer a rebuttal. I only managed to get out an "I'm sorry" but even that seemed to fuel the anger so I just waited for the explosion to end. About that time, I noticed something else.

There was a large crucifix hanging from the rear view mirror of her car. 

She grabbed my cart and walked away still fuming and speaking phrases that I’m blessed that I couldn’t hear. (I have to admit a wee bit of satisfaction when it took her some effort to dislodge the cart she swore was moving quickly toward the parked vehicles.)

I have thought of this woman often in the several weeks since this incident. What if I was an atheist, an agnostic, or someone really struggling with his belief in God? What would her tirade have taught me about Christ? Would her words and expressions have evangelized about the love and mercy of Jesus? Would I have learned about the peace of the Lord from her behavior? Would I have looked at the cross and then brushed her off as a hypocrite?

Does your behavior match the beliefs your car professes?

When this woman’s angry face crosses my mind, I offer her to Our Blessed Mother. I hope and pray that the cross of Christ will bring her peace and that the anger that exploded so quickly will be replaced with joy. I hope someday to see that face with a beautiful, loving, gentle smile.

May our lives profess Christ to all we encounter and may His healing, loving touch be with those who are suffering from emotional wounds.

Oh, and by the way, I always take time now to walk my shopping cart back to the corral, no matter how much of a hurry I’m in!