Turning Left

This picture has nothing to do with my post, cuz I can't download new pictures right now. So I just picked one where I looked good. :)

On Wednesday I drove my kids to school. My intentions are for them to get on the bus so that I don't have to drive them, but that just doesn't happen some days, or weeks.

The road that my children's elementary school is on is also the main road that everyone takes to commute to work. So you can imagine that at 9 in the morning it is quite busy and backed up.

On the way to school, we left the house about 1 minute behind schedule, but it was just enough that we hit the long back up and I knew my children would be late.

So already I was getting irritated. When my kids are going to be tardy I have to sign them in at the front office and write why we were late. This irritates me because it means I have to park and drag 3 small children in with me, or I have to write a note that says "Please admit my children late. I am in the car with 3 children under 3 and it is difficult to come in with all of them."

Nothing says lame mother like that note.

So already I was feeling anxious and just wanted the back up to hurry along.

Miraculously, my kids were not late and I was able to go my merry way.

Except for the fact that in order to exit the elementary school and head home, I had to turn left into the long stream of traffic still crawling by.

So I sat there, and sat there.

At one point I thought a guy was slowing to let me out since the back up at stopped.

NO. Instead he slowed down and then inched his way in front of me. And stopped, IN FRONT OF ME. Leaving me and the lady who was trying to turn right with our mouths hanging open.

He obviously was unaware of the etiquette that says "If you are unable to move forward due to a large traffic backup, then you leave a space for the line of 8 cars who are trying to exit from a school parking lot !"

And granted, the fact that I drive a 12 passenger van really does me no favors. People really just seem to not want to ever let me in. Ever.

So my irritation was starting to grow, needless to say.

At the moment when I felt like screaming cuz I had been sitting there for what felt like forever (but what was really about 5 minutes) , the clouds parted, the sun came out and I swear I heard Heavenly Music.

Someone stopped to let me out.

I quickly made my escape, and turning to wave at the kind driver, I realized it was my friend.

My other friend with 6 kids that drives a big hurkin van like mine. There Suzie was. All happy with a little smile on her face.

I don't think she even saw me, or realized it was me. I think she was just being her good, kind, nice self.

And I appreciated it so much.

My irriation lifted, a smile returned to my face.

My morning that was starting out bad, was turning into a beautiful day.

So today, in a pay it forward kind of way, I'm going to find a way to let someone turn left, or cut in front of me, or let the man with only 2 items go before me, or something.

Or maybe I'll just smile at my children all day and not speak one crabby word.

Or maybe I'll do all of the above.

All because someone let me turn left.