John. Crash. Grace.

How funny that just last night we were talking about how we need to remember that grace that God has shown us and reflect that in our daily lives.

I drive on Washington at least twice a day, normally at 55-60 mph, despite the speed limit being 45.

Tonight I was driving down Washington Street to meet Scott at Islands. Tonight was different though. I was being tailgated by a truck, which would normally bother me, but I had the windows down, breeze blowing through my hair, John Mayer comin' through the speakers, I'm singin' along and everything's alright.

All of a sudden a van turns across my lane from the opposing lane into a driveway on my right. I slam on my brakes and barely miss the van, but in the process, I'm hit from behind by that tailin' truck.The three cars involved (the turning van, the tailin' truck and me) pull over. We all get out, glance at each other and the damage.

The van driver apologized to me and asked if I was ok. I tell him it's ok and I'm fine. The truck driver looks at me and yells, "WHAT WERE YOU THINKING? YOU CAN'T JUST STOP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE LANE!" I apologize to him and just ask if he is ok. He says, "YA, I'M FINE, BUT YOU CAN'T JUST STOP LIKE THAT!" I said, "I realize that, I'm sorry, but if I didn't I would have hit the van." He yelled, "WELL WHEN YOU SLAM ON YOUR BRAKES THE PERSON BEHIND YOU CAN'T STOP IN TIME." The van driver yells at him, "WELL MAYBE YOU SHOULDN'T HAVE BEEN TAILIN' HER!" I said, "Guys, none of us are injured, our cars aren't damaged. Shouldn't we be thankful that it wasn't more serious?" The truck driver says, "Screw you, just write down your insurance info." So I do. We all exchange info and he takes off. The van driver says to me, "I'm really sorry." I tell him again that it's ok and wish him a safe drive home.

This is how I can tell that I'm a work in progress. Three years ago if this would've happened I would have reacted so differently. I probably would've told the van driver, "If you can't see traffic coming, maybe you shouldn't be driving!" Or something along those lines. And I probably would've yelled at the driver of the truck for tailgating me and then hitting me.

I know I'm not perfect, and I know that others aren't either. We're all works in progress.

I like tonight's reaction a lot better than the one I would've given a few years ago.

Drive gracefully!