Have you ever had anyone brighten your day? What did they do that you appreciated? Rarely does anyone do anything extraordinary like dump a million dollars in your lap or save your life. More than likely, the person merely showed you a simple gracious courtesy, made a sincere inspiring comment, or shared a genuine heartfelt smile. How did you feel about their act of kindness?

 All too often you are sharing the road with people who are in a hurry. They are normally people not very different than you. They have family pressures, financial challenges, health worries and work related anxieties. They work and play and volunteer their time. They experience satisfaction and frustration, serenity and agitation, happiness and sadness.

Most of these people are only trying to live their lives one day at a time in the best way they know. They have dreams, ideals and ambitions that keep them going just like you do. They are concerned about the world around them and many of the same things that bother you. They are struggling to control their lives while attempting to meet everyone’s expectation of them.

"You are in control of your life, even if it doesn’t always seem like it."

They have routines that they follow and never enough time in their day. The burdens they carry often lead to the aggressive driving styles you see on the road today. It is easy for you to slip into that same behavior pattern as you ride among them. After all, you could easily be one of them if you were in your less favorite vehicle. But you are in control of your life, even if it doesn’t always seem like it. This is the time to break the cycle of aggressive

Today is the day you are going to be nice to someone on the road. Today is the day you are going to commit random acts of kindness to people who won’t be able to repay you directly. It may be slowing down to let someone over to turn at the corner because it is the only way they know to get where they are going. Maybe you’ll yield to someone in a hurry who is late getting their child to a soccer game. Perhaps it’s avoiding a confrontation by simply forgiving a driver that does something irresponsible.

 You cannot control what others do on the road, but you are in charge of how you react to their actions. The things they do as they drive are not intended to cast a dismal cloud over others. They simply aren’t thinking about the affect their actions have on others. You have the choice, but you also have the reason. Refusing to perpetuate their driving style will improve the safety of your ride. Helping others and forgiving their infractions will also make you feel better. Your graciousness on the road can break the cycle and help you enjoy your ride even more. Have fun while you ride and make someone’s day.

Ride Smart! Ride Safe!