Thoughts in Traffic

This past week I was stuck in traffic on southbound 880 at about 6:30pm. Traffic is a rare occurrence for me. I live within 5 miles of both of my jobs. Two consecutive stop lights are the worst of my commute. Sad story, I know. My drive home started with waiting 10 minutes to get onto the freeway. However, Manic Monday came on and I started singing and dancing in my car. Traffic is fun! Thanks to The Bangles for getting this drive off to a good start! I hit the “Scan” button on the radio and stopped at songs that I could sing along to. I’m sure I looked like a crazy lady in my car, but it was actually a good time.

At one point, maybe at the 880/101 interchange, I began looking around at the drivers next me. I wondered what their day had been like. Did they have a good day? Did anyone get a raise? Did anyone get laid off? What were they going to do with the rest of their day? What were they having for dinner? What were they going home to? A loving pet? A sick family member? An abusive spouse? Some thoughts were depressing, I know. Although it got me to think about the home I was going to. I was going home to a loving and supportive husband. A husband who has proven countless times just how much he cares about me and wants nothing more than for me to be happy and successful. The worst thing I faced going home was dirty dishes and, perhaps, a dirtier floor.

This thought sparked something in me. How awesome would it be to document what people were thinking at any given moment? I mean, what were you doing at 6:30pm on Thursday, August 22? What were you thinking about? What were you happy, sad, angry, confused about? I would love to somehow collect all these thoughts. Not sure how it can happen. How do you gather genuine and authentic thoughts from people? My goal for this research experiment would be to gain perspective and an awareness of other people and the lives they live. It’s so easy to get wrapped up in our thoughts, feelings, and stuff. If we’re able to read other peoples’ stories, it would allow for us to take into account that other people have stuff, too. The world is so much bigger than me and you. My worries, my thoughts, my feelings, my dreams, my destination, my stuff are no more important than yours. And yours are no more important than mine.