I Digress #5 - I Love You.. **GASP**

Towards the end of last year I was on a Positive-Affirmations kick and I would listen to this awesome CD filled with amazingly uplifting affirmations. In one part of the CD it suggests sending LOVE to other drivers on the road. I really had to wrap my brain around that one for awhile. But, I tried it. As I drove to work I would tell drivers in front of me, to the side of me, and in back of me that I loved them. At first I would say it in my head... then when I wasn't feeling so weird about it, I'd whisper it to them, never making eye-contact. I'm not that brave. :)

I remember having a really bad day at work one day and I wasn't about to send LOVE to anyone... maybe some fiery darts saying "MOVE OUTTA MY WAY".. yeah, that would be more appropriate for that moment.. but I quickly noticed that the drudgery of rush hour was making my bad day even worse!! So I decided to put this exercise to the test!! I started throwing "I love you's" to people in cars and pretty soon I was feeling better and was truly lifted. It was incredible. I learned first hand that you just can't be angry when love is present inside.

So, after a week or two of doing this I began to really enjoy it!! I noticed that as I would send my love to perfect strangers, it made me feel so good inside. I'm pretty sure that my heart swelled. I could meet strangers in the store or in the line at the post office and really send my love-vibes to them without them even knowing and each conversation was warm and friendly instead of that awkward silence that is often hovering. :) I felt good about life when I was filled with so much light and love for people. :) Love is POWERFUL.

One particular day, I was on my way to work in the regular stop-n-go rush hour. I instantly fired up my Love and decided to be bold this time and actually look at the people in the other cars and tell them I loved them out loud! I figured, they wouldn't see me and they'd never know I was beaming LOVE to them. It was going great and I liked this BOLDNESS that was present in me, until that all changed in an instant... (dot dot dot)

(Tee hee, this is where my story REALLY STARTS!!!!!)

I pulled up to this beautiful black Nissan Altima, looked over at this guy and with a smile I said, "I Love You"... To my HORROR, he looked over at me RIGHT WHEN I SAID IT!!! I instantly GASPED and covered my mouth!! I am pretty positive that I went ghostly white and in my attempt to give this stranger an explanation of why I just told him that I loved him.. I started waving my hand and shaking my head as if telling him to erase what I just said.. Like an accelerated gesture of the "Jedi hand wave".. (Uhm, did I REALLY just make a Star Wars reference on my blog???? that is kinda funny.) I can not imagine what I must have looked like to him. His brow furrowed as he looked at me, as if to determine what just happened and what was STILL happening. Not much can be said or explained when you're in a sound proofed box, which is what it felt like... So, I decided it was futile to continue playing Charades to convey my point. :) And so... I focused on DRIVING. I looked straight ahead and pretended it never happened. No, of COURSE it wasn't awkward that we were side by side for the next 30 mins in rush hour going 2 miles an hour. Not at ALL!!! ;)

I can only imagine what the topic around HIS water cooler at work was that day... as for mine? I kept that whole experience to myself... until now. :) Because NOW.. I can laugh about it without wanting to hide. Sooooo, Have I continued to beam my Love to drivers since then? Not really. I blocked the practice all together until I found my Affirmations CD a few days ago. I decided to try it out again this week and I feel GOOD!! Now... will I be BOLD and look directly at strangers and tell them through our car windows that I love them?? Hmmm.. Perhaps on a bold day here and there. But if this ever happens again where I get caught sending LOVE.. You'll be the first to hear all about it. :)

You never know... maybe that man in the nice black nissan thought I said "OLIVE JUICE!" :)