I reached a junction where there was a traffic snarl; the car in front of me found its way and steered left. Just as I thought I could follow, I realized the mini truck that was almost in front of me. One of us had to make a decision to back out else the snarl would have worsened. Since I had the space I chose to steer extreme left; just then someone came yelling! I was just above a big pothole, big enough to cause excessive damage. In my effort to play the ‘Good Samaritan’ I had messed up. Now I was stuck in a situation where any wrong move would land me in a hole ;). Being a new driver I was terrified. As I was weighing my options a man got down from his wheel and came towards me. He asked me to get out and he drove my car to safety. It was obvious that he was a well experienced driver. As he got out, I thanked him. His comment "Why do you woman drive if you don’t know how to?" I smiled and let it be.
Everyone has an opinion and a clichéd one at that! I have stopped trying to change the world and its inhabitants a long time back. Yes, it was my mistake, I ought to have paid attention to the left side of the road before I chose to steer extreme left....but does that mean I sinned. I would have appreciated a comment/rebuke asking me to drive carefully but a comment like that is what I generally get. I have got used to it and am on my way to get immune.
Every situation like this reminds me to have an open mind! A mind that's not biased....biased on the basis of sex, caste, age, and so many other things. It also reminds me to allow people around me to make mistakes. I need to learn to rebuke them so that they learn from their mistakes but not threaten them with "I told you so....” By threatening them to never make mistakes I thwart their growth. After all there are very few mistakes that are actually sins, most of the others for which we generally blow our top are very momentary. And if we choose a wrong reaction at that moment it may end up in a lot of negativity. What could be worse than my comment denting the confidence of the person to an extent that s/he never tries again?
I am just glad the driver helped me. I am choosing to ignore his comments with a firm thought that I have to learn to keep a keen eye on the left side of the road. And that can be done irrespective of me being a woman ;)
