That'll be the day...

So I hit somebody on my bike for the first time today. It's been a long time coming, honestly sometimes I think these people are trying to get hit. This guy, for example, saw me coming as he was crossing the street, then looked away. I rang my sweet bike bell at him, and he then did sort of a double take, and then at the last second he jumps INTO my path. I kind of shouldered him, his drink went flying, and he sort of in panic and in his startled state yelled something along the lines of "Oh man sorry I'm an idiot."

At some point along the way my short fuse was lit, and I was unable to extinguish it in time. Rather than ask him if we was ok, or apologize for crashing into him, I told him in a very angry and sarcastic tone "Just make sure you look before you cross the street," and then I guess I didn't feel satisfied enough with that OH so witty reply, so I added on a "You f***in' idiot." Classy.

Now I come to what I learned today. I learned that I am not always the loving person I wish I could be (not exactly breaking news). I could have reacted in so many better ways; I could have at least apologized for the accident (regardless of who was at fault), or I could have made sure he wasn't hurt, or I could have said "it's fine, it happens" but instead I publicly mocked him for making a mistake (of which we are all guilty) and then I insulted him with a 4th grade level insult.

The point I'm trying to make here is that my reaction was the opposite of what I would like it to be. That needs to change. And what I can't stop thinking about is what the world would be like if everybody (including myself) was slow to anger. Rather than seeking "justice" for being wronged, if everyone had forgiveness as their predisposition...

That'll be the day.