There is nothing quite like a south Florida early evening in February. The temperature is perfect somewhere between 75 and 82. Blue skies and sun. Breeze on the water and somewhere in earshot is a live band usually playing island/reggae music. You are instantly put in relaxation mode. You find yourself walking with your flip flops in your hand and your feet in sun kissed sand. ahhhhhh...
Sounds nice.. right? Well, that was yesterday for me. I was in relaxation mode. I had had a fairly full and crazy few weeks and we decided that we would take a drive to the beach and grab some dinner. The windows are down the music is up. The kids are not fighting in the back seat. We are for all intensive purposes a happy go lucky all American Family. Then... it happens. Well, let me just back it up a bit.. I was, no joke, a picture of calm and happy. I was the car cruise director.. stating fun things we were going to do, how beautiful it was outside.. how amazing God was to create such a day... then, I am waiting for a parking space that was premium I tell you. All other spaces in the overflow lot were taken but I had spotted this perfect one two spots from the front and I am literally saying "see, we are blessed.. look at this great parking spo...."
Then IT happened. Out of nowhere from the road comes this lady in a gas guzzling monster vehicle and zips right into MY spot. I instantly begin to turn green and my jeans are splitting from the Bruce Banner like Hulk transformations that took place in a split second.. I then hear out of my mouth.. MY mouth.. the same one that was just talking about how blessed we were say something to the effect of... "oh NO she Dient!" " Did you see that?! Did you just SEE THAT?!" "she just done took MY spot" "Oh I am going to talk to HER?!" It is a rant that would make my Detroit born heritage proud. No profanity.. although I was close (just being honest..) I then go down 17 spaces to find the LAST spot in the lot and am huffing and puffing. The kids get out and we start walking towards the restaurant...right past the lady who pulled into MY spot. It is then that I hear my daughter say rather loudly...You took MY mommy's spot! Oh, I am going to talk to YOU!"
Has this ever happened to you? Have you ever been in the mindset of that everything is ok.. all is peaceful and calm, and then POW! You find yourself in a battle with your tongue? Biting it until there are teeth marks and puncture wounds? Yeah, I have. I am going to admit it.. I was embarrassed. I was ashamed that my careless words flung out in frustration were picked up by my 8n year old who then felt it necessary to fling them at a lady who took a parking spot. i mean it is kind of hilarious no? There are things in our lives that go legitimately bad and we don't even flinch but insignificant things like that we blow up about.
I talked to my kids and had to apologize for my over-reaction(yeah, you could say THAT again) and ate some real crow with my meal. This morning I prayed for God to help me more with my careless words flung in temper tantrums.
P.s. It's just a parking spot.
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