i took a 45-minute uber ride home from the airport last night after a brutal, three-day business trip.
i was completely emotionally and physically drained, and my social battery was at absolute zero.
when i got into the car, the driver.. an older guy named kabir.. didn't say the usual "how was your flight?" or turn on the radio.
instead, he just handed me a small, laminated piece of paper attached to the back of his headrest.
it was a literal "ride menu."
it said:
1. *the silent ride* (total quiet, no pressure to talk).
2. *the therapist ride* (if you need to vent about your day, i am listening).
3. *the tourist ride* (i will tell you cool facts about the city).
4. *the radio ride* (we just listen to old jazz and coast).
i smiled, pointed to number 1, and whispered, "silent ride, please. thank you."
he gave me a warm nod in the rearview mirror, adjusted the AC, and drove the entire 45 minutes in absolute, beautiful silence.
it was the most peaceful, therapeutic boundary iโve experienced all year. i felt my entire nervous system finally reset.
when he dropped me off, i gave him a massive tip and told him, "that menu is a genius business idea. you must get amazing reviews."
He looked back at me and said, "i didn't make the menu to get better tips, dear.
my daughter has severe social anxiety, and she told me that the hardest part of her day is navigating small talk with strangers when her brain is tired.
she told me it feels like running a marathon.
i made the card so that anyone who gets into my car can feel completely safe dropping the mask for a little while."
i walked into my apartment and just sat on my suitcase.
we live in a world that is constantly screaming at us to perform, to network, to be "on," and to over-communicate.
but sometimes, the deepest form of love and respect you can show another human being is just creating a small, safe pocket of silence for them to rest in.
pay attention to the people who give you permission to be quiet. they are rare.
@LWeber84@iamAtheistGirl No one owes anyone else a baby. A woman does not have to put her body and mental health at risk to make someone else a parent.
They loved Marjorie Taylor Greene, now they hate her.
They loved Thomas Massie, now they hate him.
They loved Lauren Boebert, now they hate her.
They made fun of Biden for nodding off ("Sleepy Joe), now they ignore Trump outright falling asleep.
They put "I Did That" Biden stickers on high gas prices, now they ignore gas prices being even higher.
They bragged about Trump being the no wars President, now they support war.
They bashed Biden for sending money to Ukraine, now they ignore Trump sending money to both Ukraine and Israel.
They demanded the Epstein files, now they bash anyone asking for the Epstein files.
To be a MAGA is to be a slave.
Not physically, but mentally.
They stand for nothing.
We're up against people who stand for nothing.
And with the most misplaced confidence you've ever seen, they try to tell us whats-what.
We shouldn't even acknowledge these people.
The Trump supporters that remain are mentally too far gone.
I don't even want to argue with them anymore.
@Glyn12556842@PeteHegseth@lsferguson He's not in the service though. He is retired. Retired doctors don't just walk into a hospital and grab a scalpel and start doing surgery just because they used to.
@allenanalysis White people are the majority of Trump voters. I agree we (white people) caused this and need to work to fix it. Black people overwhelmingly voted for Harris.
@RakishRedhead @southside_mafs @libsoftiktok America is 2 continents you semi-sentient ham sandwich. To break that down in simple terms that hopefully you can understand, anyone from any country on those continents is an American.
@EmilyHi37978860 @RCJohnsonIII @NotAvgLiberal They do this because it is all they have. Why didn't Biden release the files? Ok so because when you hate didn't release them you don't think your lord and savior Taco should release them? They make no sense.