I woke up this morning to the sounds of Niles, my Hyundai Accent, screaming bloody murder with his horn. I stepped out of the house to find out a gentleman from our village accidentally hit him with his SUV. The damage was quite significant. I handled it the way I’m wired – Positivity/Empathy/WOO – and I hope he left feeling better than when he hit Niles. I handled it in three ways:
- It’s important to stay cool. He was a young man who seemed truly apologetic for the accident. Losing my temper would not have been the answer, and the last thing he needed was some guy screaming at him at 6:25 in the morning. He has insurance, I have insurance. No biggie.
- It’s important to document properly. Took pictures of the accident, took note of how it happened, exchanged numbers. He lives in our village, and our families know each other. This should be a lot easier than usual.
- It’s important to remember it’s just a car. Niles gets us from Point A to Point B. Replacing the doors will take time, hopefully at no cost to us, but end of day, our security is in God, not in vehicles.
The Good News translation of Proverbs 14:29 seems appropriate at this time: “If you stay calm, you are wise, but if you have a hot temper, you only show how stupid you are.” I hope I communicated wisdom, fatherly concern, and God’s love to this young man.