We See the World Differently—And That’s Okay

The Unexpected Lesson from a Late-Night Argument

Some of the biggest life lessons don’t come from books or sermons—they come from unexpected moments, like a late-night argument about traffic.

After an amazing Broadway night, my friend and I were walking to the train station. The city was alive, streets buzzing with energy, and we had to cross through a parking garage entrance. A stream of cars was exiting—one stopped for pedestrians, but another didn’t seem like it would. At the last moment, the driver braked, and we crossed safely.

Then my friend made a comment.

“Drivers need to be more responsible.”

Her frustration was clear. She wasn’t just making an observation—she was upset.

And without thinking, I jumped in to defend the drivers.

Not because I disagreed with her. But because I understood both sides.

Two Truths, Two Perspectives

I know what it’s like to be a pedestrian—

✅ Feeling vulnerable, waiting for cars to stop, hoping the driver sees you.

✅ Trusting that the crosswalk means safety.

✅ Expecting the driver to be fully aware.

But I also know what it’s like to be a driver—

✅ Dealing with distractions, road signs, and other moving vehicles.

✅ Watching one area of the road while something else happens in another.

✅ Navigating blind spots and unexpected pedestrian movement.

So I pushed back.

“Drivers aren’t perfect,” I said. “We don’t have eyes in the back of our heads. Sometimes we’re distracted, sometimes we’re checking another part of the road. It’s not as simple as it looks from a pedestrian’s perspective.”

To me, it was about shared responsibility.

To her, it was about power and accountability.

And suddenly, this tiny debate about crosswalks became something much bigger.

The Moment I Let It Go

As we stood at the crosswalk, waiting for the light to change, I took a breath.

I could feel my argument bubbling up again, ready to push back. But then, something shifted.

Was this really about drivers and pedestrians—or was it about how we all see the world differently?

I exhaled.

I let it go.

Not because I had no more to say. Not because I had conceded my point. But because I didn’t want to waste my energy on frustration.

The conversation faded, but the lesson remained.

Everyone Is Just Doing the Best They Can

This wasn’t just about traffic—it was about perspectives.

🔹 People make decisions based on their experiences. My friend wasn’t wrong—she was speaking from her reality. And so was I.

🔹 This applies to everything in life. The way people think, react, vote, love, and believe is shaped by what they know.

🔹 Grace is essential. Instead of frustration, I need to extend grace—to those who don’t see things the way I do, to those who make choices I don’t understand, to myself when I get caught up in frustration.

How often do we do this?

How often do we hold onto our perspectives so tightly that we fail to see another?

We judge others because they don’t think like us.

We get frustrated because they don’t see what we see.

We hold onto our viewpoint as if it’s the only truth.

But what if we simply acknowledged:

“They’re doing the best they can with what they know.”

Soul Insights

1. Grace Is Letting Go of the Need to Be Right

It’s tempting to prove a point, win an argument, or defend our stance. But sometimes, peace is worth more than being right.

🔹 “A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.” — Proverbs 15:1

Many conflicts could be avoided if we chose understanding over ego, grace over proving a point.

2. People Are Not Their Mistakes or Blind Spots

People make decisions through the lens of their experiences. If someone is stubborn, defensive, or unwilling to see another side, it’s not necessarily because they’re wrong—it’s because their reality has taught them to see things that way.

We are all shaped by:

• Our past wounds and experiences.

• The people we’ve trusted (or been hurt by).

• What we’ve been taught and what we’ve had to unlearn.

🔹 “Do not judge, or you too will be judged.” — Matthew 7:1

When I remind myself that everyone is learning and growing at their own pace, it’s easier to release judgment and replace it with compassion.

3. Grace Doesn’t Mean Agreement—It Means Understanding

Grace doesn’t mean you have to agree with everyone or compromise your convictions. It simply means you recognize that people have different perspectives, and that’s okay.

Grace says:

• “I see where you’re coming from, even if I don’t agree.”

• “I don’t have to change your mind to respect you.”

• “We are both shaped by different experiences, and I honor that.”

🔹 “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.” — Matthew 5:7

Grace is mercy in action. It’s choosing relationship over being right, peace over pettiness.

4. Holding On to Frustration Costs Us Our Peace

That argument? It wasn’t worth my peace.

And yet, how often do we cling to anger or annoyance, replaying the conversation in our minds?

• How dare they think like that?

• I should have said this instead.

• They just don’t get it.

But who does that hurt? Only us.

As I drove home, I realized that sometimes the most freeing thing you can do is simply let it go.

🔹 “Forgive others, not because they deserve forgiveness, but because you deserve peace.” — Jonathan Lockwood Huie

5. Grace Begins with Ourselves

It’s easier to extend grace to others when we’ve learned to give it to ourselves.

How often do we beat ourselves up over mistakes? How often do we wish we had responded differently?

Just like others are doing their best, so are we.

• I’m learning.

• I won’t always get it right.

• I can extend grace to myself, too.

The same grace we wish others would show us—the same grace God lavishes on us—is the grace we must first show ourselves.

Final Thoughts: A Life of Grace

This argument wasn’t really about drivers and pedestrians. It was about seeing differently, understanding better, and choosing grace over frustration.

Because at the end of the day, grace is what keeps us connected.

• Grace for the disagreements.

• Grace for ourselves and others.

And maybe that’s what this whole journey is about.

Choosing grace, choosing understanding, choosing peace—even when it’s not easy.

Because the grace we give is the grace we grow in.

Reflect & Share: What About You?

• Have you ever had an argument where both sides were “right” in their own way? How did you handle it?

• Is there someone in your life you need to extend more grace to?

• What is one way you can practice grace this week?

Let’s grow in grace together. 💛✨

Soul Path Insights