The news has been so infuriating, frustrating, and depressing that I have to finally share a tiny good thing that happened a little while back, in Lynchburg, VA--a town where a lot of not-so-good things happen....
Do you have bumper stickers--tiny, mobile billboards that express your identity and your opinions about the world? Have they crept beyond your bumpers onto nearby regions of your car? Do you ever see people stopped behind you, laughing and pointing? On the other hand, has anyone ever pulled around you and flipped you the bird, presumably because of your messages, and not your driving?
I can say yes to all of the above, but I'd never had the experience that happened in a shopping center parking lot, in Lynchburg....
When I returned to my car that day, my heart sank when I spotted a scrawled note on the windshield. After all, this is Lynchburg, home of Jerry Falwell's Liberty University, rogue "law enforcement", lots of fundamentalist churches, and lots of Republican voters. I fully expected some abuse, or at least, scolding. After all, who goes out of their way to communicate with strangers, unless they've got the wind up?
But this was the note:
Now, I have a lot of stickers, but I consider my display to be inside the limits of crazy, because they are still limited to vertical surfaces of the car:
Some pertain to health care, a major concern in my metastatic-cancer-stricken lifestyle...:
...although I do think it's important to maintain a sense of humor, however black:
Others promote local organizations I am a part of:
In general, the messages reflect a mixture of ideas, issues, and values that are significant in my life:
...with the occasional political finger in the eye, either subtle:
...or not so subtle:
...and even a little woo....
And while we're at it, no extra charge for the bird poo--what can I say, I park under some nice trees!:
And inside the car, my guiding spirit on the dashboard (that's a plastic dodo, not a plastic Jesus):
So, whoever you are, thank you for your note. I'm glad that I cheered your day; you certainly brightened mine! I believe that you make Lynchburg a better place.
And friends, please share your favorite vehicle-based messages in the comments section--we all need a lift!