Unlike me, who has many years of driving experience, my wife did not have a driver’s license. So whenever we went anywhere, driving was always my responsibility. Sometimes, when an aggressive driver suddenly cut in, I would be startled and feel a surge of irritation, but I kept it in. Yet when my wife scolded me, asking what I would do if I hit the brakes too suddenly, I felt unfairly blamed. I wanted to argue back, “If I don’t brake when someone cuts in like that, we’ll crash!” But I stayed quiet, reminding myself to focus on driving safely.
Eventually, my wife got her driver’s license. However, even after several years, the number of times she has actually driven could be counted on one hand. She hardly drives at all—so much so that we even changed our car insurance from a “couple” plan to an individual one for me.
At this point, someone might wonder whether my wife got her license for nothing, and whether the tuition for driving school was wasted. But that is not the case. There has been one significant change between us. Now, when a reckless driver cuts in and I have to slam on the brakes, my wife gets angry at the careless driver on my behalf. When that happens, the irritation that used to rise within me quickly subsides. Just having someone understand what I’m feeling gives me great comfort and strength.
Reflecting on this, I began to think about how much I’ve truly empathized with my fellow members in my life of faith—sharing in their pains and joys. As a senior in the faith, I realized I had often focused more on saying the “right” things, believing my role was to teach them.
I remember Heavenly Mother embracing members who were in tears, sharing in their sorrow. God knows everything, so there must be no end to what She could teach us, yet She simply listens, empathizes, and stays beside us. Following Mother’s example, I want to be someone who does not just point out faults with righteous words, but someone who listens, empathizes, and comforts my brothers and sisters in faith.