Why? I asked myself this question repeatedly ...

"Why?"

Over the past week, I have consciously asked myself this question. Why did I wave off the man behind me who honked because I wasn't moving fast enough in the Tim Horton's drive-through?  Why was I upset when my husband asked a simple question? Why, when I was out walking and came across a woman picking up debris on the greenway, did I not ask her name and thank her?

Asking myself, "Why" is all well and good, but stopping and reflecting on something that could have or should have happened does not change a thing. Or does it? It won't change what happened in that moment, but could it alter our mindset and responses in the future? I think the power in reflection is that we CAN change what we do and how we respond to similar situations.

Perhaps next time someone honks at me because the line is moving too slowly, I smile at them rather than waving them off and purchase their beverage with a kind message. We can be proactive and send positive energy rather than perpetuate the negative. That's exactly what I did in that particular situation. It also bothered me, for quite some time. Did he think by honking I was going to move faster? What was his real intent? What caused him to act in such a way? What stressors was he feeling in that moment? Why did I feed into it?  I spent tons of energy kicking myself for what I did. Some may say that's ridiculous because it was no big deal. Perhaps though, that energy in the future, will be celebratory because I rose above it.