Peace on earth, and roadways
Well, Christmas is almost here. If the roads clogged with frantic shoppers rushing home with their last-minute treasures haven't already clued you in, then perhaps you'll get the idea when you spot all the vehicles out there decorated for the season.
Yes, nothing says "Merry Christmas" quite like a garbage truck lumbering down the street with a big plastic wreath plastered on its front grille.
From jolly little Santas bopping atop car antennas to tacky Rudolph-mobiles, complete with fuzzy brown antlers clipped to the windows and a red shiny nose up front, it seems some folks are so overwhelmed by the spirit of the season that the decking of their halls extends well beyond the garage door and right out to their automobiles.
As a person whose truck remains ornament-free, I'm thinking perhaps we should just skip the 12-volt Tannenbaum suction-cupped to the dashboard and concentrate instead on simpler things, like sober and courteous driving.
Knowing that many drivers have played one-too-many rounds of parking lot roulette, and are no longer laughing all the way, perhaps it's the perfect time to embrace that whole "Peace on Earth" ideology. Why not be good for goodness sake and bring a little calm and courtesy to the roadways?
See that guy, the poor slob who's been sitting there, blinker on, waiting forever for an opening to get out of the mall and onto the highway? Let him in. Yes you, who yields to no man, yield to a fellow motorist.
Do the courtesy move-over.
Help push somebody out of a snowbank.
Be a designated driver.
Ignore the moron leapfrogging through traffic. Leave that horn alone.
Wave your thanks, not your special finger, to anyone generous enough to be courteous to you.
And while you're being kind to strangers, don't forget those near and dear to you. All those presents stacked under the tree are great, but often it's the little things that mean the most.
Santa's Little Helper could pick up an extra jug of windshield wiper fluid and top up the reservoir in that other car that shares your garage space.
Drop those passengers off right at the door before heading out to the boonies to park.
Nip out and put a few more coins in that meter.
Clean the garage. Wield that snow shovel.
Hand your car keys over to your cash-strapped kid, secure in the knowledge that the gas tank is full and the oil light's not flashing.
Return a salt-encrusted car sparkling clean, having run it through the car wash.
Better yet, on some cold, dark winter morning, while your loved one's still slumped at the breakfast table sipping coffee, slip out and clean the avalanche of snow off their car.
Brave the cold and scrape every last bit of frost from their car windows and mirrors.
Now that's a gift from the heart that's guaranteed to make them a jolly, happy soul.
linda@mcavoy.ca
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