Amanda Carrasco

I live in a place where we don’t get a lot of snow. I chose that on purpose. As of right now we have been a one vehicle family for over two weeks because I can’t drive my car -because of SNOW.Yes its beautiful, but it can leave my city anytime and it will not be too soon. People are just not prepared!

So this morning I walked to my yoga class and the post office. I was walking home when I was wished a Merry Christmas in a non very Christmassy way. I was on the sidewalk and there were two vehicles wanting to turn left in front of me to get into the parking lot but they had an oncoming car. I know that in the scenario of car versus human, car wins so I just waited in case she decided to turn. As the oncoming car approached, the rear vehicle that was waiting honked his horn at the little car in front of him. Once the oncoming car passed, the car turned left no problem and the big truck followed. I waived my arm to signify he should slow down and he stopped in front of me and lowered his window. So I asked him, since perhaps it was someone else who had honked, but he assured me it was him and that he had been waiting “an hour” for her to turn.I told him that it had not been an hour and then he said I should “mind my own f’ing business.” I replied that he should not talk that way with a child in the car.

I understand that in his truck he could have made that turn in the time he expected the young lady in front of him to, but she wasn’t him. She drove a small car and road conditions are so bad I was told that two of our bridges are shut down. I’m so sorry if the extra 60 seconds that lady took to ensure that everyone was safe is going to impede his super urgent plans.

Here’s the thing though – I will NOT mind my own business when it comes to bully people like that. My concern is that the lady driving the car in front of him will second guess herself the next time and maybe take that turn that she doesn’t have time for because she doesn’t want to upset the asshat behind her. However, the more we live in community, and the more we build each other up then the more confident we are of our own decisions. If she feels supported and confident then she wont care if there is honking behind her. She will make the best decision she needs to, make based on the information available to her ie. her car is small, road conditions are bad, there is a pedestrian, and she only has front wheel drive.

Is your life so important that 60 seconds will dramatically change your day? Her life and my life are more important to make you wait sir – and that IS MY business regardless. Making sure other people aren’t being bullied IS MY business. It’s been too long and too often that people aren’t saying anything. People are being pushed to the brink of destruction – either self destruction or school shooting kind of destruction. We don’t want to be pushed around anymore. Each person has value and worth just the same.

Don’t but your nose in somewhere just for the sake of being “in the know” and having the ability to gossip. But I want you to make it your business when people are hurting because they need help. If your willing to get involved then make it your business so that people don’t feel alone and unsupported. You do have to pay attention and be sensitive to the needs of the people in pain. They may need help in a way you are not prepared for, so know that if you come to the table you have to meet them where they are at – not whats comfortable for you or whats easy for you to do.

It IS MY business when someone is hurting and I can do something to help.