“Living in the heart means maintaining a higher frequency, which is needed now more than ever,” Marlaina Donato writes in this month’s Inspiration article, A Pebble of Kindness in the Stagnant Pond. As much as I’d like to operate at a higher frequency, I found myself feeling impatient in traffic today, and acting less than gracious toward my fellow drivers. But I caught myself and told my daughter—it’s easier for me to catch myself when a third party is witnessing my behavior—that I was going to start letting cars in and being nicer.

This is the perfect time to do it. 

It’s funny how we’re entering the season of giving and kindness and yet the holidays can be stressful. When I’m stressed, I find it hard to be kind. And in the end I feel guilty. Looking back on my frustrating battle with traffic today, I know I didn’t have many gracious moments. But there’s always tomorrow, and I’m capable of changing. In fact that’s what will have to happen, because let’s face it: traffic is only getting worse in Charlotte, not better. 

After reading Marlaina’s suggestions, I’m looking forward to practicing “kindness” exercises in traffic, as a “thoughtful word or deed can be a single pebble thrown into a stagnant pond.” Through regular exercise, I expect to develop some muscle memory, until eventually driving with kindness won’t be so hard. And I’d much rather be a pebble than the stagnant pond. 

Wishing you a happy Thanksgiving and a high-frequency holiday season,

Shannon