Stalled in Chicago traffic wasn’t Carrie’s idea of a wonderful day.
Planted in the driver’s seat, she silently broiled. Her anger didn’t stem from her two passengers, her husband and mother-in-law. Instead, she was furious with herself. Getting trapped in traffic was ohhhh soooo avoidable, because Carrie was adept at driving Chicago, maneuvering skillfully and comfortably through the maze of tangled highways.
So what went wrong? She failed to assert herself. Although situated behind the wheel, she let others “drive.” Carrie’s experience illuminates how things go wrong when we shrink down and take on a passive role. For one thing—as with Carrie—such behavior impairs our ability to take charge when a situation calls for solid leadership.
Limping, when fully capable of walking upright, is an act of self-betrayal. It’s felt at the soul level—a sickened feeling deep within.