Let's remember the good times

Simply Sleight, by Kari Sleight

Some of our online readers have been debating the driving skills, or lack thereof, of some residents of Alaska and the Mat-Su Valley this past week on the Guestbook page of our Web site. While I believe the vast majority of Valley residents each have their own story or stories of the inconsiderate or reckless driver they experienced, I also believe many could recall considerate encounters, too, if they really tried.

Yes, it is annoying and downright dangerous when you can look in your rear view mirror and be able to determine another driver's eye color because they are tailgating so close; and I've had more than my fair share of scary moments when driving out of a curve on the road only to see the front grill of another car heading directly at me because the driver doesn't seem to think it's important to stay on their side of the road. Then there are the drivers who haven't yet learned that a solid yellow line down the middle of the roadway means no passing at any time, for any reason, and this includes you. Managing editor Frank Ameduri has tried, unsuccessfully, in the past to disperse some basic driver's education tidbits, so I won't pursue it any further in this column.

On the flip side, I can also recall the numerous times drivers have waved me in front of them while waiting to turn on the increasingly congested Parks Highway. There's been times others have stopped while driving through a parking lot to let me know I've left my lights on when it would have been so much easier to drive on past without saying a word. I also believe the safe, courteous drivers on our roads far outnumber the rude and reckless. If not, our streets and highways would be nearly impassable most of the time as safety workers worked around the clock to clean up the debris from the back-to-back wrecks.

It perplexes me why it just seems so much easier to recall the bad memories and incidents than it is to recall the good and pleasant. Have we really become such a negative-focused society that complaining is now the order of the day? Couldn't our days be more relaxed and pleasant if we exerted the same amount of energy recalling all the good things that have happened in our lives? Too often news reports are filled with quotes from criminals who blame their life of crime on their poor upbringing. It's not Jimmy's fault he turned out so badly, his parents wouldn't buy him a Walkman when he was a teen-ager or little Johnny stepped on Suzy's toes when she was in kindergarten. In some schools of thought, this gives Jimmy the right to steal a Walkman from Joe, and Suzy the right assault Nancy. Jimmy doesn't appear to have the ability to recall the time his parents scrimped and saved for six months to buy him his first bicycle; nor does Suzy remember the time Johnny helped her up and brushed the dirt from her knees when she fell while running to first base in her first baseball game. I understand there are people who have suffered terrible tragedies, but most go on to live full and productive lives.

Truth be told, we have all had a mixture of good and bad experiences in our lives; I like to look at them as "learning opportunities." I have often been told that I am an optimistic person, and have even been accused of being "overly optimistic," as if that's now become a bad thing. The saving grace is I know I'm not alone in my optimism; I've met lots of them. It's what we choose to do with those learning opportunities that shapes who we are and what we become. Everyone makes mistakes over time; I've yet to meet the perfect individual, it's part of being human, learn to forgive yourself or others and move on.

It's not a perfect world and you will, undoubtedly, continue to experience rude and inconsiderate behavior from those who share the road with you. You will probably experience a disastrous customer service moment from the clerk at the grocery store. The teller at your bank may even short-change you one day. But, more frequently than not, you'll also see far more safe and sane drivers around you. The friendly grocery store clerk will smile, tell you to have a nice day and really mean it. Your bank teller will discover the addition error you made on your deposit slip, in your favor.

Kari Sleight is the publisher of the Frontiersman.