I resumed Uber driving last week. I stopped when COVID shutdown started and having heard about challenges, I hadn’t resumed. I missed it. I previously shared my experiences and conversations with my passengers.
But driving while wearing a mask that muffles voices, I was uncertain what my experience would be like. Specifically, how the mask would interfere with my hearing while talking with my passengers, now riding in the back seat instead of in front with me like before.
My typical drive starts with my describing how driving is like being paid to play. I love to drive and I love meeting and talking even more than driving itself. Plus, I’m being paid for working when I want to!
How’s it get better than that?
Wayne Dyer said, “If you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.” The Nanticoke Indian Tribe’s tale, The Tale of Two Wolves describes it this way.
One evening an elderly Cherokee Brave told his grandson about a battle that goes on inside people.
He said “My son, the battle is between ‘two wolves’ inside us all. One is evil. It is anger, envy, jealousy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority and ego.
The other is good. It is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion and faith.”
The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather: “Which wolf wins?”
The old Cherokee simply replied, “The one that you feed!”
In my own way, I’m feeding a movement, a “looking deeper” movement by introducing and spreading accepting, forgiving, and loving ourselves more than before. I’m giving thought and energy action to seeing ourselves in a new and empowering perspective.
Like Johnny Appleseed introduced apple trees in his travels; in mine, I plant acceptance, forgiveness and love.
During trips, I remind my passengers that they are more important than they can imagine and they’re loved more than they realize. They are more than they think they are.
Likely, when they look in the mirror, they think that’s them. However, that’s only the surface. That’s their vehicle for experiencing this world, like the car we’re in is our vehicle for taking them somewhere.
Fortunately, we (many of my passengers and myself) have found it delightful and illuminating. Many passengers thank me. They tell me they’re going through a difficult challenging time and right now they needed to hear my message.
Next week, we’ll look at some of the questions they ask and my responses during these rides.
Until next time,
Joe