I stopped driving after the catastrophic 8.8 earthquake and subsequent tsunami that devastated the south-central part of Chile in 2010. For a year I trudged along the Chilean coast, parts of which were impassable by regular vehicle, going from town to town with a program to promote resilience.

I lugged a backpack full of materials to comfort and motivate folks. In each area I hosted trauma workshops for children and adults. A friend who is a child psychologist would carry out more in-depth interventions. I traveled from village to village (often walking) interviewing and encouraging hospital personnel, teachers, school directors, policemen, clergy, facility directors, inhabitants of temporary housing camps, village officials, and provincial authorities.

And so began my 14 years of walking and riding buses or whatever transportation option was available. It was slow and laborious. Yet, I interacted with a lot of people, enjoyed God’s creation, and was invited into many homes to share a meal or lodging.

Fast-forward to today. Now in the US, I was gifted a vehicle so I could be more effective in my volunteer work with rescued and abandoned children in northern Mexico. My life has increased in speed and intensity.

One day I was surprised to notice the car behind me stop to let another car enter the turn lane from a parking lot. It dawned on me, “That driver has compassionate awareness.” I hadn’t even noticed that someone was waiting to exit the parking lot. I was self-absorbed, whereas the driver of the car behind me was thinking about how to help someone else.

I thought about how I had been “driving” when it came to my life. I reflected on Galatians 5:22–23: “The Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!” (NLT).

I realized that it is one thing for me to demonstrate these attributes in humanitarian work and programs—activities that enhance my self-image. It is much more of a challenge to manifest these attributes in the seemingly insignificant occurrences of daily life, like that man did by his small gesture of deference to another driver.

As I was awakened to compassionate awareness by seeing a kind act, my prayer is that others will see this in me and hopefully we can all slow down a bit and help our fellow man.