Pet Peeves
Don't you just hate it when...?
I'm sure you have a list of things you hate as long as Yao Ming's leg.
If the list isn't things you hate, they're probably your pet peeves or things that really get under your skin and annoy you. Here's my list.
Rudeness
Laziness
Coughing, yawning or sneezing without covering one's mouth
Complaining
Repeating the same thing time after time after time (I just got annoyed writing that)
Mouth breathers
Excuses
Body Odor
People who eat off of my plate
Drinking after others
Constantly changing the station on the radio or TV
Not letting a song finish
People who don't respond when they know you've been trying to reach them
I could go on but I think you catch my drift.
Living in the city that never sleeps, New York, I probably encounter one of the things on my list every single day. Thank God, I don't have someone trying to take food off of my plate on a daily basis because I think I'd be in jail or there would be a lot of one arm people walking around this world.
How can we take these things that push our buttons and flip them so that something good comes out of the experience? I don't have the answer to this one and am trying to figure it out with you. I try to sincerely say "Bless you" when a person sneezes without covering their mouth. Hopefully the next time they feel a cough or sneeze coming on they will remember the nice man who blessed them and cover their mouth before unleashing a spray of germs and saliva on innocent bystanders... Hopefully!
I tell myself that the world doesn't revolve around me and remind myself that I too am a busy man when I get no response from those with whom I've unsuccessfully tried to connect on numerous occasions. I have yet to find a positive spin for lazy people or those who walk around with a sense of entitlement. When I meet people who want to give nothing or very little for everything in return, I find it hard to not judge. Get mad at me if you want, I'm human. I do my best to not judge anyone but I, like many, fall short from time to time when trying to do what Jesus would. Or in this case, what he would not...
As I write this I'm realizing that pet peeves are common, yes, but they make us powerless. Think about it. If someone can do or say something that upsets you to the point that you say or do things you later regret, they, in a sense, have power over you. They control you. You don't like that idea, huh? Yeah, neither do I. However, we can take back control if we can learn to delete a few things off of our trusty little pet peeve lists.
Look at mine! I can't do anything about someone having body odor. In some cultures body odor is a good thing and smelling "good" to them stinks. Maybe I'm just misunderstanding or misinformed when I cross paths with a Funky Freddy. Who knows? What I can do, is stay calm, and walk away from Freddy's funky ass or, if I'm on a crowded subway car, just start laughing at how ridiculously pungent Freddy's odor is and hopefully start a cacophony of laughter that'll take my mind off of the stench. Mouth breathers may have sinus issues I don't know about and since I don't like drinking after other people, I don't have to share a drink with someone. There, I deleted a things from the list and it only took the amount of time necessary to write this post. Easier said than done, yes, but I have a plan. All I have to do is put it in motion.
There's so much in life we don't control and over which we have no power. Take back the control and power from those who annoy you. At the end of the day you're the one who chooses to let them rain on your parade.
Misery has enough company and pity is partied out. Take a stroll down pleasant street and see who's out and about. If the streets are bare and the houses empty, consider that good news. For you just now made it easier, for a girl called Joy to choose.
I'm sure you have a list of things you hate as long as Yao Ming's leg.
If the list isn't things you hate, they're probably your pet peeves or things that really get under your skin and annoy you. Here's my list.
Rudeness
Laziness
Coughing, yawning or sneezing without covering one's mouth
Complaining
Repeating the same thing time after time after time (I just got annoyed writing that)
Mouth breathers
Excuses
Body Odor
People who eat off of my plate
Drinking after others
Constantly changing the station on the radio or TV
Not letting a song finish
People who don't respond when they know you've been trying to reach them
I could go on but I think you catch my drift.
Living in the city that never sleeps, New York, I probably encounter one of the things on my list every single day. Thank God, I don't have someone trying to take food off of my plate on a daily basis because I think I'd be in jail or there would be a lot of one arm people walking around this world.
How can we take these things that push our buttons and flip them so that something good comes out of the experience? I don't have the answer to this one and am trying to figure it out with you. I try to sincerely say "Bless you" when a person sneezes without covering their mouth. Hopefully the next time they feel a cough or sneeze coming on they will remember the nice man who blessed them and cover their mouth before unleashing a spray of germs and saliva on innocent bystanders... Hopefully!
I tell myself that the world doesn't revolve around me and remind myself that I too am a busy man when I get no response from those with whom I've unsuccessfully tried to connect on numerous occasions. I have yet to find a positive spin for lazy people or those who walk around with a sense of entitlement. When I meet people who want to give nothing or very little for everything in return, I find it hard to not judge. Get mad at me if you want, I'm human. I do my best to not judge anyone but I, like many, fall short from time to time when trying to do what Jesus would. Or in this case, what he would not...
As I write this I'm realizing that pet peeves are common, yes, but they make us powerless. Think about it. If someone can do or say something that upsets you to the point that you say or do things you later regret, they, in a sense, have power over you. They control you. You don't like that idea, huh? Yeah, neither do I. However, we can take back control if we can learn to delete a few things off of our trusty little pet peeve lists.
Look at mine! I can't do anything about someone having body odor. In some cultures body odor is a good thing and smelling "good" to them stinks. Maybe I'm just misunderstanding or misinformed when I cross paths with a Funky Freddy. Who knows? What I can do, is stay calm, and walk away from Freddy's funky ass or, if I'm on a crowded subway car, just start laughing at how ridiculously pungent Freddy's odor is and hopefully start a cacophony of laughter that'll take my mind off of the stench. Mouth breathers may have sinus issues I don't know about and since I don't like drinking after other people, I don't have to share a drink with someone. There, I deleted a things from the list and it only took the amount of time necessary to write this post. Easier said than done, yes, but I have a plan. All I have to do is put it in motion.
There's so much in life we don't control and over which we have no power. Take back the control and power from those who annoy you. At the end of the day you're the one who chooses to let them rain on your parade.
Misery has enough company and pity is partied out. Take a stroll down pleasant street and see who's out and about. If the streets are bare and the houses empty, consider that good news. For you just now made it easier, for a girl called Joy to choose.
Comments
Post a Comment