All of us suffer from inner demons. Alcoholism, eating disorders, domestic violence, and abandonment issues being several. The individual has to look within him or herself, seek help, arise and live the Life he or she was meant to attain. To admit the problem and grasp an understanding of what innately harms you are the first steps to healing. Over the past couple of years, I've learned to deal with just one of mine.
Driving along a back wooded road very quickly and smoothly, I'm making perfect time to glide home and relax. Thinking of sweats, dinner, coffee, DVD, maybe a book, or a couple of magazines. Ahhhhh...
Suddenly a dilapidated, dented, rusty, open backed maroon truck barrels out in front of me from a side street on 2 screeching bald tires. Dust forms a mini tornado. I squint, check my rearview mirror and of course there is no one else behind me. Why?
A driver is barely noticed, though I surmised it is a he after glancing at his large side view mirror. Stereotypical scruffy beard, low brimmed red baseball cap, shades and a cigarette. Despicable.
The truck bounces from side to side with leaf-filled rakes, shovels, a large push broom, a couple of long warped boards ready to flip onto the pavement or the roof of my vintage 2003 Corolla. I also notice an unleashed Doberman shifting from side to side seemingly glaring at me sandwiched between two mowers.
Suddenly the driver slows to a 15 mile per hour crawl in a 40 zone. I mutter words that only Satan would savor. Adrenalin increases, beads of sweat form upon my brow and I feel internal combustion, very much like a furnace. Not a mid-life hot flash this time...it's ROAD RAGE.
Of course it's impossible to blow his doors off, and flip him the bird, since the road is fairly narrow with a lot of blind spots. Every time I pray he's going to turn, straight it is- in my direction. Besides I couldn't have told if his blinker was on, since part of a "South of the Border" bumper sticker is slapped over his right rear turn signal, and the left is shattered to oblivion.
The next thing I do, is say to myself that the situation is totally out of control and "Surrender Dorothy" (damn it) echoes through my mind. I take a deep breath, pull over to the side of the road and wait for him to vanish. Calming down, I put on a CD, select an awesome tune, and music starts calming the savage beast.
The frustration and hostility I felt is dissapating, and technically speaking, I gain more time and less agitation at the wheel by allowing the idiot to travel on. After 5 minutes or so, I travel on, feel a lot better and also relieved that I didn't cause a dangerous situation not knowing his temperment, or hitting an innocent victim.
To me this is an element of personal SUCCESS. I have recognized my problem and have devised a solution to tame it. The world feels a lot better right now.
