Small Stuff

So many incidents in my life make me remember to pay heed to The Little Things.  One of my favorite stupid Program slogans is: "Two steps to serenity.  One: don't let the small stuff upset you.  Two: it's all small stuff."

I was thinking idly of an incident just a few months ago when Super K, a friend, and I stopped at a coffee shop after a nice hike.  SuperK ordered coffees for all of us, only to discover that she had left her wallet in the car.  She worried about holding up the line while she retrieved her money when the guy behind her paid for her drinks, refusing her offer to reimburse him.  He said he was having a great day and left it at that.  I'm sure he wouldn't remember doing that if he was under oath and it is still stuck in my mind.  A little thing making a big difference.

I'm not so quick to ascribe bad motives to people anymore.  It's my instinct to do so, but I've learned to pause a beat, see what else may be going on.  When I'm not behaving in a clinically paranoid manner I find that there are a ton of really nice people out there; I find that most people are nice.  Not everyone is trying to screw me over.  I don't spend all day trying to hose other folks; why would I think everyone is trying to hose me, all the time?

At the 7AM meeting yesterday a new guy told this story: he had locked his bike but forgot to loop the chain around an immovable object.  When he returned his bike had taken a hike.  He was pissed.  He talked about violence, visiting violence upon the perpetrator.  After a frantic and furious search he found that someone had seen the unsecured bike and held it for safekeeping.  He thought someone had screwed him and someone had done him a favor. 

I made a few phone calls yesterday to people who never call me.  We had nice talks.  I think I made a difference.  I didn't make a phone call yesterday to a good friend who takes my flight from The New City winter to sunnier climes as a personal affront.  It's not altogether clear why he thinks my behavior has anything to do with him.  I NEVER think about ANYONE but MYSELF!

I got to keep my finger off the trigger.