I was standing in line at the pharmacy at my local grocery store tonight and the lady in front of me at the counter was deciding how many months of prescription she wanted. I'm fine, I'm chillin'. Just leaning on my cart watching my ice cream melt, but whatever.... It wasn't a big deal. But this man walked up behind me in line, and immediately started blustering right at this poor lady telling her to get her act together. She was holding him up! Who was this guy?
He was like this little nasty, shrieking whirlwind behind me, spinning barbs off into the wind as he went. She's trying to ignore him and laughing and I'm encouraging her with my eyes not to let it bother her. He ran back and forth between the two windows yelling at the pharmacy staff of two people. It was bizarre. I stared at him as he stomped back in line and let off another round of insults.
Finally, I turned around and looked him right in the eye and said "What is your problem?" He stepped back and was quiet for a moment... finally... and said "Well, she just ought to be more organized." Nothing after that. Thank goodness.
As I left clutching my two prescriptions, I thought that this man is going to die of a heart attack or cancer one of these days because he has no concept of grace towards other people. Does he know what he's doing to himself physically when he can't control himself like that? It's so unhealthy, not only for him but for people he lives with or runs into. I guess I was taking a chance that he could pull a gun out and shoot me, but I don't believe people should think it's OK to let their bad energy and personal garbage flow onto others. I felt like just decking him, but not decking him I suppose was my grace towards him. Ha! At least that poor lady, probably a mother (on Mother's Day no less), didn't have to listen to any more from him.
Everyone needs grace from others and it's a much nicer world when we give it: letting others into traffic, waiting your turn, forgiving, not saying what you think at times. We never know when someone else needs a little extra grace at any given moment. Grace can be like a wet blanket over their roaring fire allowing them to gather themselves back up and regroup. I don't know if what I gave that man who couldn't give grace was grace per se. But it did defuse things. On the other hand, a hug probably wouldn't have been appropriate either. : )
And I didn't feel like hugging him anyway....
Wonderful post!! Whoo hoo - guess he needed someone to point out he behavior. I think sometimes we don't hear what we really sound like to others. Grace is huge, you just never know what a little grace does for someone's day.
ReplyDeleteLove, your sis..Sarah
Love this post. It reminds me of a lesson my Mom taught me years ago about spreading grace around. We were shopping...this has to be at least 50 years ago, and the salesclerk was being very snippy, quite unusual back then. I thought in my judgmental 8 year old's way that my Mom should just walk away and nix the sale, but instead she took the opportunity to teach me something very valuable. She said to the clerk "you must be having a very hard day" and the clerk got big tears in her eyes and all of sudden just "came clean" with my Mom telling her all her problems. And yes, she WAS having a bad day/week/life. And Mom, bless her heart, gave the young woman a break and a kind, listening ear. The whole transaction shifted and I like to think that the clerk's day improved after that encounter with grace. You are right. We never know when grace is needed. Good reminder! Thank you!
ReplyDeleteWhat you gave the man was definitely grace to the woman in front of you, and the 2 pharmacy workers! Bless you for havin the courage to speak up!
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