greenlightYesterday as I driving around town running some errands, I came to a signal light. As the light turned from red to green, the driver of the car directly in front of me began honking his horn incessantly. He was honking at the driver of the car directly in front of him, who had responded rather slowly to “go on green.” The honker then passed the slow mover on the right, lowered his window and flipped off the driver who was “uncaringly” slowing him down.

I followed the slow mover for a few blocks as we heading in the same direction, then changed lanes and came up on the car’s right side – noting there was actually an elderly couple inside fumbling with maps, seemingly confused. The car carried a Pennsylvania license plate. Reasonable conclusion: They were lost.

When someone is a source of discomfort for us, sometimes we overlook motive in our analysis, turning what happened into our own little life rage. And at its worst, assume malicious intent.

Unless we’re fugitives from the law, international double agents or in need of witness protection for example, no one is out to get us or plotting against us.

Sleight happens, stuff happens but we don’t need to litigate every little thing and we only make it worse by turning minor inconveniences into a psychic version of the game “Clue.”