If I were Waze

by Yael Kerem

If Waze was a typical parent, then it would probably respond this way to a wrong turn:

Why didn’t you turn?

Am I talking to the walls?

I told you it was best to turn here, but now look – you’ll run into traffic!

What did I say? See! You didn’t turn and now you’re going to be stuck in traffic for 20 minutes.

I’m making such an effort for you, and you aren’t even listening to me.

It doesn’t matter how many times I tell you, you never learn…

It goes on and on…

But what does our dear Waze do? It sees that we made a ‘wrong’ turn and… recalculates a new route!

It helps us get to our destination even if we’ve made a mistake along the way. It will stay on our side, understand that we are the drivers and that we can also decide to go to another place altogether. Its feelings aren’t hurt; it doesn’t take anything personally.  It gives us data about each route and lets us decide how to get there.

I wish I could give up the criticism and righteousness and simply give my advice, and allow them to direct their own lives.

I wish I were Waze.

* (or Google Maps/Tom Tom/GPS system)