Not in the Driver's Seat

The other day I was driving toward to meet the carpool.  My route takes me to an intersection where there is usually a line of cars, waiting to turn either right or left onto the main road. It's slow going, but eventually, everyone gets to go where he or she is going. 

On this particular day, a person was driving on the main road and wanted to turn right onto our side road.  She should have just turned -- she had the right of way.  Instead she stopped her car and waved on the person who was in front of me, wanting to turn left, and then she gestured for me to go ahead and turn right.  Neither one of us would have prevented her from turning onto the side road -- I wondered (and still wonder) why she felt the need to stop and take control of the traffic. 

Do we do that?  Do we needlessly try to take control of situations?  Do we find it very hard to release control?

When my younger son was learning to drive, it was necessary for either my husband or me to be in the car with him as he practiced.  We did pretty well, but every once and a while, J would scare us.  J asked, "Mom, you act nervous when I'm driving."

Well, yes.

No matter how well he was doing -- HE was driving, and not me.  I was out of the driver's seat -- not in control.  It's not a pleasant place to be.

Sometimes, I think, it is exactly where we are called to be.  What do you need to give up control of today?