101 Freeway Epiphany

California is famous for its freeway system and, when traffic is light, it's a quick and convenient way to travel.  If you've ever been stuck in rush hour traffic on the 101 Freeway, you know how slow and torturous the experience can be.

Today I sat with a raging humanity in the world's longest parking lot, which stretches from Los Angeles to Canada --- US 101.  It was an asphalt hell.  There we all were, probably millions of motorists, sitting still with our vehicles spewing exhaust.  It felt like I was at an anti-environmental Woodstock, unwillingly.

After screaming who-knows-what into the windshield, I unclenched my white knuckles from the steering wheel and relaxed a little.  My mind started wandering.  Would the Highway Patrol discover my body, bored beyond recognition?  If I had a heart attack here, would the paramedics be able to get through all of these cars?  ENOUGH!

I took in a 'cleansing breath' and 'centered my mind'.  (I know that's stereotypical Californianess, but what ELSE was there to do at the moment?)  Traffic was still not moving, so I started looking around at my new freeway neighbors.  Nobody was looking back at me.  Who were all these people?

I saw a Korean teenager, a middle-aged black lady, a hispanic family, a couple from India, a young Persian guy and a bleached-out blonde who was fluffing her hair and putting on hot-pink lipstick.  I chuckled at the Barbie chick with her fake tan, and mumbled "Gee, can you look any more California, honey?"

Wait a minute.  Where did THAT come from?  What EXACTLY should a Californian look like?  A blonde beach babe?  California is the only place in the world that has no real majority race.  Every ethnicity, culture and 'look' is here.  It's all totally California.

I took a good look around at all of those other motorists and their license plates.  All California plates.  All Californians.  It was truly an epiphany.  We were all on the same 101 Freeway, and we were all headed in the same direction.  We were all in this together.  We all have made a conscious choice to live together in this Golden State.

Just when I thought, "Gee, I like living here", the other folks started looking back at me.  I flashed a peace sign their way.  They all either smiled, waved, or flashed a peace sign back at me.  Right on!  Californians rock!

We're all gonna make it just fine together.