Something Uncomfortable: Day 42

http://www.facebook.com/SomethingUncomfortableSteppingFromFearToFreedom

As I got ready this morning, I thought about what could possibly make me uncomfortable today? We had a fairly normal Monday planned. I kind of thought I might have to get creative about being uncomfortable. I should have known that the very mundane day I had planned would prove to have it's own challenges.

Of course, nothing has gone as planned today. So I've been running late all day. What should one expect when you are running late? Slow drivers. I am NOT exaggerating when I tell you that every time I have been in the car today, I have ended up behind someone who was going between 5 and 10 miles UNDER the speed limit. And each time, I was stuck with no way to get around them. It really made me wonder if there was a national protest against the speed limit happening... but whatever.

I grew up in the suburbs of Chicago and was taught the fine art of road rage by my father. OK my mom was pretty good at it too... sorry Mom ;) 

Through the years, I have tried to explain to my husband just how bad it was. He didn't believe me until one occasion when he had the pleasure of riding with my dad. Some woman cut him off. At the light, my dad threw the car into park and announced colorfully that he was going to tell her what a bad driver she was. No, I'm not kidding. And neither was he. I thought Adam might pass out. Fortunately, I was able to talk my dad down before he got out of the car. (I told him that none of us would bail him out of jail, because he would surely be arrested if he approached the woman.) 

All this to say that my initial internal reaction to the insanity I was surrounded with today, was to scream through the window at the drivers. I did not do that. Instead, each time it happened I reminded myself that these people did not wake up this morning and decide that this was going to be the day that they made Heather Schneider's life more difficult. AND if I was late to any of our appointments, it would not be their fault. Life just happens sometimes.

I can't imagine how much time and energy I have wasted on being angry at people for things they weren't really doing to me. Every time we get angry we stress our bodies and minds out. Why do that unnecessarily? There are plenty of legitimate things to be upset about... Is the way other people drive one of them? What will happen if you arrive late to something? You might be embarrassed or have to wait longer for a service, but you won't die. Being a little inconvenienced hardly seems worth being angry, does it?