Button pushed? React of stop and think?

I don’t know about you but I consider myself to be a patient individual who can usually determine whether a situation is worthy of getting bent out of shape. I know that my mom was clearly a proponent of never crying over spilt milk. Yet, the world that has evolved is so far removed from reality. Why is it the case people get their button pushed over the craziest and silliest things?

I almost lost it a few days ago when I pulled up into an almost empty parking lot except for a mom watching her kids. I admit that I pulled up in my Truck and must have appeared like a drug dealer or a misplaced older white guy. I was picking up a group of teen guys who had played basketball at the park. I mistakenly pulled into the area parallel instead of perpendicular to the court. I was on the phone talking so I couldn’t really hear this mom. She seemed to scream at me that I shouldn’t be parking this way. I attempted to explain I would be gone in a few minutes and did this really matter?

I was fortunate to have a wave of common sense come over me, thank you Lord, instead of reacting to this demanding individual. I responded by saying SORRY and then turned my truck around. Just as I did this the guys jumped into the truck and we were off. I can’t fathom why this was so life threatening that this required the lady to engage in a war?

If this wasn’t enough in the next minute or so I was at a light getting ready to pull out after the green appeared only to be HONKED at by the guy behind me. As I pulled away from the light this guy rushed around me. As usual we ended up at the next light right next to each other. Did the honking of the horn really help improve the flow of traffic that afternoon?

I have memories of pulling out of a parking lot with no oncoming cars. Just as I get into my lane I see this car literally whip around me and then crazy enough actually stops and almost causes me to hit him. Initially I’m thinking he’s in this small little car and I’m in a truck with a big bumper. Does he really want to play this game? Yet, he was totally serious and almost seemed as if he wanted to fight. The incredible thing was that the light changed as all of this was happening. My decision was do I engage this crazed individual or just let it go. My blood pressure was still up because of having to slam on my brakes so it wasn’t an easy choice.

Again, there was a supernatural force that stopped me from becoming a statistic! I can’t fathom being so wacky as to engage into a cat and mouse fight with a truck when I’m in a little car? What in the world is happening? Why is there so much anger, bitterness and apparent hatred that pushes someone to make a nonevent into a life and death emergency?

Life lesson for the new year is to stop reacting to the people and ‘stuff’ around you and purposely learn how to catch your breath and walk away. Why let your button be pushed?