It’s hard to find victory in being pulled over by the police, but I’m going to try.
First of all, just before I left the house, I almost didn’t grab my purse because it was just a short drive to drop our daughter off at a birthday party. I had this thought though, “What if I get pulled over?” which was really the Holy Spirit saying, “Gina, you don’t know it, but you’re about to do something stupid. Let’s not make it stupider.” I’m just going to call that the grace of God.
Second, this was a nice police officer. I mean really, genuinely nice. Again, pure grace of God.
So he asked me the classic, “Do you know why I pulled you over?” and I honestly, truly did not. Apparently I rolled through a stop sign (in my defense – a stop sign at an L in the road). He asked me, “Do you realize that you need to come to a full and complete stop at a stop sign?” Yes, yes I do officer. (why do they ask questions that beg for sarcasm?)
Then he asked me, “Do you realize that there is a $164 fine and 3 points off your license if you do not come to a full and complete stop at a stop sign?” No, no I did not.
“I’m going to go back to my car and decide if I need to give you this $164 fine.”
So I got to wait while he consulted the police gods on my fate. In a few minutes he came back and said, “I’d really like to not have to give you a $164 fine,” to which I responded, “I would so appreciate it if you did not.”
His conclusion was, “You’ve been very nice to me, so I’m going to be nice to you and not give you this $164 fine” (Wait, can you remind me how much it is again?). “As long as you promise me you will come to a full and complete stop at stop signs in the future” (full and complete, I’m on it).
So I guess my victory could be avoiding a (clearly) $164 fine? I’d say the greater victory for me was not crying in front of the police officer who undid me with his patience and kindness in the midst of my embarrassment and anxiety. It was certainly a humbling moment. Maybe just experiencing it and staying in it was victory enough.
What are you calling victory today?
