I eased out of my parking spot and began to meander down each row, searching for more bumper-sticker inspiration

I was sitting in a parked car in a crowded parking lot. My son had run into a cell phone store to get his phone fixed. I’d opted to wait in the car with the heat running; I had plenty to do.

First, I made my grocery list, then my errand list, then my Shabbos-menu list. When all that was done, I decided to listen to a TorahAnytime shiur on my phone. Unfortunately, I couldn’t get online. Ho hum.

I flipped down the visor mirror and fiddled with my sheitel bangs. Tried a new style, decided I liked my original style better, messed up the bangs trying to achieve the original style. Organized my pocketbook, sorted through some old receipts. Drummed my fingers on the steering wheel, thought I recognized my son coming out of the store, realized it was a kid who looked like him, examined the state of my three-week-old manicure (poor, definitely poor).

With not much else to do, my gaze wandered from van to van. Just as I have always said, gray Honda Odysseys are the most popular frum car around, followed by gray Pacificas.

The green Tesla next to me was a nice change of pace. Its bumper sticker read: “Be kind, everyone you meet has a challenge you know nothing about.”

Now that was something to think about. It was probably true. Everyone should be treated with a bit of extra kindness. And lately I’ve been realizing that yes, everyone has some sort of nisayon; we all have times when we serve Hashem out of joy and times when we trudge through a dark tunnel. A little kindness goes a long way.