Where has all the common sense gone? I was washing my car and just when I was almost finished a woman pulls in the area I was using to vacuum her car out... It was obvious my car was heading that way next as it was facing that direction. There were more empty spaces available without cars in the washing port but she decided to choose one that was being used. Either she's rude, stupid or inconsiderate... or all three.
That isn't very nice to think those things huh... but you can't help it sometimes. I walked up to this woman and asked her if she could please use another vacuum as I was just about to pull forward. She looked at me with shock and a bit of an attitude and said well the one next to me is broken... well how about the other ten that are not I thought. After she explained her non-sense she implied she would move to another. Satisfied I returned to my car and got in and started the engine anticipating to pull forward. I was shocked and disturbed when I watched her unload her "junk" as if I wasn't there and we never had our recent conversation! Well I was tempted to get back out of the car and pull my Italian sided temper on her... then thought twice as my daughter was in the car. What restraint I had which is very unusual for me. The visions of violence flashed through my head of what I wanted to do to this woman. Even my thoughts of speech were thwarted. Sure I sat and stared at this woman who I determined was a spoiled bi*** with an attitude of entitlement planning my next move which I can assure you from past experience would not have been good. Just as my thoughts were racing I received a disturbing text message from someone close. It distracted me so I forgot about "Satan's daughter".
In an instant the new issue at hand had become more important, changing my emotions and train of thought. I pulled out and parked in the next vacuum port. I suddenly surprised myself on how taking the high road (inadvertently, but still) had been the more mature thing to do - leading by example. Sure I glanced over at her hopefully making my point but when I did I saw and felt anger, irritability, sadness and so forth in this woman. She was an unhappy woman and ya know most rude people are just that - unhappy and angry.
To respect another human being takes time. It would have taken some time and bit of inconvenience to move her car... she choose not to for whatever multiple reasons but one thing is for sure, she was "darkened" and she left that for her son who was present in the vehicle to witness and in turn "learn".
"Winning" is not causing another displeasure people. If you have to "show" or "get" or "make" someone then it is you who is the loser. They will never learn from that behavior and if they happen to move in the direction you want during those times it will most likely be out of fear, which again, will never teach or show another human being how to respect.
Society today has lost most respect for other people. We live in a selfish society of it's all about me. To shine is to give... it may be your time, your money, your talents, whatever... but please know it's not all about you. The most remembered man in the world and the most highly respected man in the world taught these things:
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
23Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
The only sure way to "win" in any area of our lives is to practice these behaviors. When is the last time you were annoyed or had contempt for an individual who lived in such ways? Now think of the opposite... It's easy to dis-like or hate people with nasty behaviors and attitudes but you are the one who feels the effects of those emotions more so than the person they were intended for. Do yourself a favor and be an example of what you want from other people. If you "hate" someone just turn that hate into pity... they are only acting coarsely because they hurt from something or somebody - what a miserable life. The pity will eventually soften you to the point of gratitude - in many things.
Nasty people are miserable people - period! I was delighted I took the high road instead of what I wanted to do... which by the way would have just created a pool of negative, hurting and bitter words and feelings no matter what the outcome - nobody would have "won" or taught anybody a thing and we would have taught our children that this is the way to handle issues in society. I left content with my clean suburban and hopefully taught her a thing or two about respect for other human beings... and a little about time (it took me 15 seconds to move my truck) hahaa.. maybe or maybe not but no harm was done and my daughter now knows a little on how to control blood pressure..:)
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