Idiots In My Life (PM LII)
Reggie, grossly unsatisfactory (p)seudonym,
included in a gust of wind,
is someone I have nominated
for asshole of the month
for the rest of my life.
He just walked by,
a cup of Tim Horton's coffee
in one hand and
a stack, six or seven sheets,
of paper in the other.
I couldn't make out exactly
what the papers were
but if i was more of a betting man
I would wager
they were all useless, fake
or redundant.
He put on an air of haughty
importance,
but I knew he was even
lower in being.
than the runt in a pig's litter,
the ninth baby of a sow
with eight nipples.
His vocabulary was childish,
as though he had no
education at all,
but he tried to hide it,
behind an ancestral Greek
accent that should have been
severed the day he was
born in Canada.
When he came back my way
he finally decided to
acknowledge my presence if
not my very existence.
I greeted him coldly but with
the minimum of respect
necessary when dealing with
anyone in management.
He asked me how I was doing
and even though I knew he
didn't care, I told him I
was fine.
He walked on, shuffling his
papers and taking small sips
from his coffee cup.
I had asked for extended leave
when my mother died,
he denied it and it took
me three days of fighting
until I got it.
I got the time off,
but his belligerency
indifference and denials
that made me have to stand
up and fight for my rights
were somehow a victory
for him,
and to this day I believe he
revels in it a little every time
he sees me.
I think it would be easy to poison
almost anyone,
you could do it with indifference
and not have to witness
the outcome.
In Reggie's case, I believe
I could get my hands dirty,
and they would wash off
quickly
and guiltless.
MCC
We certainly all have Reggie's in our life, Michael. As a matter of fact, I have one I am dealing with right now. I used to grant them power over my life and they pulled me down into a pit I could not climb out of on my own.
ReplyDeleteThen I came to understand this one promise in Romans 8:39, "No power in the sky above or in the earth below--indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord."
It is a daily struggle because jerks are everywhere. But we can do something to quench the fiery darts they throw at us. That is to seek God's gentle guidance. We may not be able to change them, but we can seek refuge from the attack they make on our heart. And, if we can withstand the temptation to engage in these attacks by growing in anger, we guard our heart. Your heart is so precious and belongs to God. John 4:23
You know the old saying, "Kill em with kindness"? I always had a hard time with that one...and still do, really. But I tried it recently. I knew what the Lord would have me do but it took me reaching a place of humility and truly having the desire to shine the light of Jesus into a real dark situation. So, I extended grace. Wow, it was actually reciprocated. It did not change her, but this experience will remain in her memory and hopefully change her heart in some way. This is what the love of God is supposed to do. The hardest thing is to love those who are the hardest to love. When we have to work with these toxic people for most of the hours in our day, it certainly takes a toll on us. I am keeping you in prayer, my friend...and also Reggie.
Peace.