Learning a lesson

A cop car pulled up beside me while I was on the freeway the other day. Then he slowed down and got behind me. Instantly, I knew I was doomed.
I’m a safe driver. I obey the speed limit, my phone is put away (because I do not use my phone while driving), and all of my tags are up to date. However, I don’t wear my seatbelt. I know what you’re thinking…”Jennifer, that is so mindless. You are much smarter than that. You could die.”
Let me share something with you, and I’m sorry if this is harsh. I don’t wear my seatbelt for personal experience reasons,  so I mostly don’t care what you have to say — I usually don’t wear my seatbelt. When do I wear it?  When I feel unsafe, and driving long distances.
So the cop pulls me over. STOP. BREAK. PAUSE THE STORY. Now, I realize why I am being pulled over, so I correct my action that is “breaking the law”. Why do I fix my behavior, because I am not neglecting my seatbelt out of defiance, I am not trying to disobey the law or dishonor authority.
Officer So-and-so came up to my window. We go through the motions of license and registration, 10 minutes later he says, “I HAD TO write you a citation for not wearing your seatbelt…have a good day.”
Sorry Officer So-and-so, but BULLSHIT. You did not have to do anything other than ensure my safety and educate me as a citizen. Which you did when you made it aware of my not wearing my seatbelt, and then my proceeding to put on my seatbelt. Lesson learned of my expectation.
Why am I writing about this?
I am not trying to stomp my feet and say I don’t deserve this, because I do. I chose to break the law, fully aware of the consequences.
I just wish more people, including Officer So-and-so, acknowledged other people’s perspectives before quickly jumping to conclusions and treating every interaction as a standard procedure.
That is why I was upset. The quick judgement and administration of a fine and a smudge on my clean record left me feeling like someone that was actually a criminal or the text-and-driver that was actually putting people in danger.

Remember, we are each individual human beings. Every time you walk by, speak to, listen to a other person talk, you are listening to one new individual that has a different story than all the people before. Let this be an opportunity to learn something new with ever interaction in your life. Get out of the habit of generalizing or jumping to conclusions.
Remember that tiny word, perspective.
Challenge yourself to acknowledge and understand someone else’s perspective.

Wishing you Love & Joy throughout the day.