Road Rage or Inner Peace?

 Joy on Demand by Chade-Meng Tan. So how do we spend our time when caught in traffic or trapped in the slowest line ever experienced in the history of mankind? Tan gives us some ideas on how to creatively use these brief (or not so) interludes in our busy days. Humorous and thoughtful, Tan offers unusual wisedom and good advice presented in gentle, bite-sized nuggets. I’ve tried his approach to line-survival (the 20-second meditation on loving-kindness) and can honestly report that it works! I could feel my tension seep away as I breathed slowly and focused on the positive intention of sending the (very) slow clerk thoughts of loving-kindness.  It didn’t make the line move any faster but the exercise did, amazingly, lower my stress-level! For that one moment alone, I send Tan my heart-felt thanks. I have continued the practice of the 20-second (or 2-minute) meditation when stuck in some frustrating/mind-numbing interlude that is out of my control. The gift of calm is wonderful!