A traffic jam is painful. This pain is not yours, this is not mine, but ours. It is common in everyone’s life. It is quite common in cities and towns across the world. Traffic jams have forced a small section of citizens to prefer public transport that largely excludes roadways.
While in traffic jams, we get frustrated, abusive and cause noise pollution with loud honking. We do whatever it takes to move ahead and, many a time, even do things that are illegal and unethical. But, I believe that traffic jams can teach us the greatest of life lessons.
While stuck in traffic jams, I have contemplated on what an inescapable part of our life they have become. I realised that a traffic jam teaches us to have patience in life. Among the myriad factors contributing to a satisfying life, patience is key.
Instead of being hasty, a patient approach could protect us from unprecedented challenges such as accidents or traffic challans.
Practising patience during traffic jams will help us imbibe it in our personality.
As the Mahatma stated, “To lose Patience is to lose the battle.” Patience is central to winning the battle.
The second lesson that traffic jams teach us is the value of small steps in life. In lieu of impulsiveness, moving bit by bit in a traffic jam will get us to our destination safely. As without tiny water drops, there can be no ocean, without small steps, there can be no journey.
The third lesson that we can learn from traffic jams is to be diligent. Driving inch by inch can be frustrating. Hands-on the gear and the steering wheel, legs on the brakes, eyes to the front, and keeping a watch on the rear-view mirror... a challenging task indeed that requires all our attention.
There could be many other lessons that traffic jams can teach us, and perhaps our abhorrence for getting stuck in traffic will reduce to some degree if we abide by these lessons. Of course, we may never love traffic jams but we will come not to hate them.
shaidaishadman@gmail.com
