The Carpool Lane

I love the carpool lane--when it serves me well. Flying past all those other drivers who don’t have a passenger in their car and therefore cannot take advantage of rolling down the highway at high speeds toward their destination. Of course, often in Southern California the carpool lane holds no advantage in swiftness and is just as back-logged as any other of the bazillion lanes lining the coast. Yet, regardless of whether it is slow or fast moving on the day you’re carpooling, qualifying to travel in the “special” lane gives a mysterious feeling of privilege.

When I take Toby south to Huntington Beach to his boy scout meeting each week, we work hard at trying to get over from our entrance to the 405 south at Cherry to the carpool lane. This feat is a real trick as the traffic is usually thick at Cherry and the window of opportunity for entering the carpool lane before the dreaded double-yellow line appears, is slim. Sometimes I succeed, sometimes I have to wait the 2+ miles for the next opening. C’est la vie.

The fines for traveling in the carpool lane as a single occupant are pretty stiff, “minimum carpool violation $341”--doesn’t break the bank, but is certainly a waste of good God-given funds! I don’t see a violator very often, but when I do my ire rises. First of all, I’m over here because it’s legal for me to be here, and second of all I’m over here because I have some place to go and you are in my way! Sounds very kind and generous, doesn’t it? Driving in Southern California sometimes fails to bring out my best.

Toby’s involvement with the boy scouts finds us frequently traveling the 405 south to Huntington Beach. On a recent Saturday morning there was a pancake breakfast with the Lion’s Club. Toby had signed up to help from 9-11 a.m., so he and I, along with Kevin and Acacia, cruised down in the carpool lane, because we could, to enjoy piping hot pancakes and very unhealthy, but delicious, sausage. After indulging, we decided to leave Toby to his work and travel back up to Long Beach until the time came to retrieve him.

In the carpool lane later as the journey to Huntington Beach commenced, I victoriously smiled as I enjoyed the fact I had made it all the way over as soon as I got on the freeway!! Not too long after that I noticed someone violating the lane!!! The nerve of that single occupant. “Who does he think he is??? Does he think he’ll really get away with that??? I’m sure there are police nearby--but, he is boldly moving along as if it is no big deal!”  I decided to pray and squelch my indignation. At peace once again, I moved on down the 405 toward my destination. At the next bend in the road I saw that indeed the man in front of me had a passenger and I relaxed again. Whew! First I breathed a sigh of relief for the driver who was no longer a target for the police to ticket. And then I whimsically had the notion that “Poof!” A passenger had appeared!--or was it my own perspective that had been skewed and the passenger was there all along??? :)

Suddenly, about 4 miles later, to my horror, I realized I was alone in the truck!!! I am so used to having passengers that I didn’t even realize I was the violator!  What came rushing to my mortified mind as I sheepishly moved over to the next lane?  Something about not pointing out the speck in someone else’s eye while failing to notice to huge piece of timber protruding out of my own???

Will I ever become proficient in grace? forgiveness? mercy? Or will I continue perfecting only my innate ability to judge? I’ve already demonstrated that when I was convinced that guy had been violating the carpool lane and I had not been, I didn’t extend any grace or mercy toward him. 

What is that? My bent toward self--that’s what it is. Adults easily notice the self-centered focus in children, but we fail to see its glaring presence in our own hearts. We become proficient in explaining away our own selfish thoughts and behaviors and therefore lack proficiency in extending forgiveness, understanding and grace toward those we bump into in life. Bump into or run over, whatever the case may be.

LORD, give me Your spirit of grace and mercy. Train me in forgiveness. Strengthen my desire to be like you and to give you honor with my thoughts and behavior, and weaken my strategizing toward paltry solo advances through the relationships and opportunities You’ve given me in this world. Amen.