Room to Breathe

This morning, as I drove to work with my dog in my lap (yes, I took Daisy to work with me ;) ), I pondered a conversation I had yesterday with a co-worker.  She was venting about mentioning a fact to someone, and that person acted as if she never said anything!  How frustrating.  I know what she is talking about.  For some reason, I don't remember encountering this problem in other places that I have lived, but very often I realize that there are now people in my life who really do need me to repeat something a minimum of three times.  When I first moved here, I remember changing my car and renters insurance to the agent that my in-laws used.  I cancelled it after a month.  I remember the conversation I had with the lady as I was trying to cancel the policies.

Me:  I would like to cancel all of our policies with your company.

Her:  Okay.  (Minutes pass)  All done.

Me:  You cancelled my auto, my husband's auto, and our renter's policies?

Her:  Oh, I thought you just wanted your auto cancelled.

Me:  No, I want to cancel my auto, Josh's auto, and our renter policy.

Her:  Okay.  (Minutes pass)  All done.

Me:  So you cancelled my auto, Josh's auto, and our renter policy?

Her:  Oh, I thought you just wanted to cancel your auto and renter policy.

Me:   (While pulling out my hair!)  No.  I want to cancel MY auto, JOSH's auto, AND our RENTER policy.

I hope she understood - that was the reason I cancelled our policies with that agent.

I then recalled part of a book I had read that talked about a man who often traveled to foreign countries.  Every time he came back from a travel, he would be angry because someone had either stolen from him or charged him more money than they should have.  To solve the problem, he did not call the police or go back and talk to the people.  He simply added a line to his traveling budget for "extra traveling expenses."  When someone overcharged him on his next trip, he just deducted the amount from his extra traveling expense budget and went on with his life.  No worries.

I've learned a lot about patience in the past few years - especially regarding this matter.  I understood this morning that I have eventually done the same as the traveling man.  I have given people some room to breathe.  I have lowered my expectations a little.  I used to expect people to listen the first time, but that doesn't always happen - and that's okay (didn't God sometimes have to repeat things a few times?).