The house we lived in when I was growing up is on a quiet street that rarely had other cars coming down it. Hundreds of times I pulled out of that driveway and never encountered another car. It was so uncommon for another car to be coming that I usually never stopped moving when pulling out. I always paused and looked both ways but the car continued to roll, I rarely ever needed to come to a complete stop.

So, the other day while pulling out of the driveway after a visit, I did the normal routine: get settled, put on my seatbelt, adjust the radio and roll to the threshold between the protective haven of my childhood home and the spot at which I officially re-enter the real world. My car was still rolling as I noticed a car coming down the street. The oncoming car was still about three or four car lengths down the street. I was not out of the driveway yet and seeing the other car surprised me. Even though I was barely moving, I hit the breaks harder then I needed to and waited for the woman to pass. As she drove past the front of my car, she slowed down, made a face and, looking me square in the eyes, shook her head at me. It made me laugh at first because I was nowhere near invading her space or making any kind of contact with her. I was completely stopped and waiting long before she even crossed in front of me. She did not even need to slow her pace. Then a feeling come over me like I did something wrong to her personally. For a brief moment I felt both embarrassment and even a twinge of shame. I quickly shook those feelings because I did not do anything wrong and I was not going to let whatever her issue was affect me.

That episode made me realize that whether I felt I was right or wrong, we are becoming intolerant of other people's mistakes. I did not think I made a mistake, but this woman apparently felt that I did and she decided to clearly point that out to me.

It's a shame that we have gotten to a place where we are not accepting of other's mistakes, but we expect everyone to be tolerant of ours.Mistakes are a part of life; a part of growing and learning and evolving. If we stop making mistakes, we stop living.