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Friday, December 6, 2013

God On A Roll

Stu and I were headed south on Interstate 75 from Dayton, Ohio, after a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday with our friends (who are really family) Lorie, Justin, Johanna, Dale, Erin . . . and so many others who came to sing and party with us in Lorie's lovely home. Our precious little dog, Joni, was riding high in her cage, perched above the guitars in the back seat, sleeping in a warm pool of sunlight. I occasionally glanced at her, my heart filling with love every time. Stu and I were imbued with the afterglow of a cherished visit. I had been driving for awhile, and we were now in Tennessee.

I sensed the driver in the left lane pausing beside me, pacing me, trying to get my attention. I glanced over. He began to gesticulate wildly, a harsh expression on his face. He pumped his arm rapidly up and down and pointed to a sign on the passenger side of his car.

I looked down and this is what I saw.




As soon as the driver got that we had seen the sign, he sped away, eyeballing us in his rearview mirror for our reactions. Without any discussion, Stu and I both immediately responded with the old one-finger salute. Stu gave it to him with both barrels. I had to keep one hand on the wheel.

We turned to each other, and in unison, said, "The bumper stickers."

Which sticker had set that God-fearing Christian off? Was it the one that says, "Free Your Mind of Racism?" Or, maybe, "Marriage Equality?" I doubt he got the meaning of "Matriotic." Maybe it was the quote by Jimi Hendrix, "When the power of love overcomes the love of power, the world will know peace."

I know giving someone the bird isn't enlightened, nor is it in keeping with the sentiment of our bumper stickers, but damn, it felt good in the moment.

You don't see many bumper stickers where we live, and almost never any with messages of inclusiveness like ours. Two days later, driving home from running an errand near our house, another driver pulled up beside us, pacing us, trying to get our attention. Stu was behind the wheel this time.

"Great bumper stickers, man!" the driver yelled to us. "I love them! Thank you!" He was clearly excited to see someone in our neighborhood whose beliefs mirrored his own.

I gave him the thumbs up . . . and, thanked God for the timely reminder. Beliefs have power, and we have the power to choose our beliefs.
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2 comments:

  1. You can't please all the folks all the time -- the one-finger salute was the perfect response to this self-righteous so and so -- bless his heart.

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