Gratitude in Line

Take a deep breath. You will get to where ever you need to go. You will arrive to your destination at the time you were meant to arrive. Don't blame other external factors for your tardiness [period]

I am trying to be a more patient and understanding person. Think of it as a late New Year's Resolution, or possibly, a right on time Life Long Resolution. I need to be more empathetic towards not only friends and family, but especially to those people that I do not know.

How easy is it for us to blame our own problems on complete, and most of the time, innocent strangers. It gives the facade that we are not to blame, and that we're 'off the hook', but somewhere in our conscience, we know that we, ourselves, are still at fault.

I was standing in line at the oh so fine establishment of Wal*Mart yesterday. I needed a quick key ingredient to my turkey burgers (you know, buns.) My shopping took all of 10 minutes, picking up some extraneous items that were not on the list (flea collar, Starbucks coffee...) I migrate over to the express check out with the shortest line, and wait patiently for my turn to pay my dues. Manning the register was a woman well past her mid life. She slowly rang up the patrons groceries with care, taking her time, after all, what's the rush? Our intimate, little line, soon grew. I couldn't help but over hear some of my fellow line members start to complain. "She needs to be put in a nursing home." , "She should be greeting people." and "She's too old to even run the computer." Direct quotes.

I thought to myself, 'move to another line, go shop somewhere else, do your shopping at another time.' There were many alternate and active options for these people, instead of tearing this woman apart for their own self gratifying egos. Maybe with elderly woman needed a job to support herself. Maybe she has a sick husband, child, grandchild, etc at home. Maybe she's tired and bored watching reruns of the Andy Griffith Show. Whatever her reasoning, she was in her right place at the right time, you--disgruntled patron of Wal*Mart, were not.

Be understanding. Be patient. Be grateful. There is always somebody worse off than yourself.