Random Acts of Blindness May 13, 2008

We’ve all committed them…those random acts of blindness.  We make assumptions about others, or cast judgements without considering or looking close enough to see what lies beneath.  The crabby waitress who, unbeknownst to us, lost her sister a week ago….or the bossy co-worker who suffers from such low self-esteem that she drives us all crazy in her attempts to prove herself to (mostly) herself. 

Don’t get me wrong, I am well aware that plain old jerks exist, but I guess I believe for the most part that people are the best they know how to be.  I don’t suggest we need to hang around people who hurt us or abuse us, or in some way make our lives more difficult than necessary, but perhaps we need to remember that most people’s behavior towards us really has less to do with us than it does with them. 

I attended a humor seminar several years back where the speaker suggested ways to counter the upset dealing with “jerks” can bring.  She suggested we make up a story about the person (not to be shared with them of course…)  For example, a guy cuts you off in traffic as he races down the highway.  The story?  “Poor guy, if he’s not home by 5:25PM on the dot, his wife beats the crap out of him.”  (Poor guy is right….go, buddy!  You can make it!)  I have found it fun to make up little stories about miserable people who cross my path…..like the guy who was attempting to make the Guinness Book of World’s Records for the most stupid, insensitive remarks made in a 24-hour period.  I wished him well…wonder if he beat the record…..

When making fun of it doesn’t work, I think we just need to remember that not everything is personal.  I know that my life would be easier if I could remember that not everything is about me (GASP!).  Perhaps a little more compassion is the order of the day.  Perhaps looking at  (considering) what might lie beneath would benefit us all.