No Stranger to Anger

I think it's rare for any of us to stop and say, "What is it about me that might annoy people?" Or, "What do I do that might infuriate someone?"  But I know there are so many things I've done, and probably still do, that perturb other people.  

Let's start with driving.  I'm not exactly the safest driver on the road.  I have a tendency to go too fast, and I also cut people off from time to time.   I'm usually a very calm person, and even when I drive I'm pretty laid back, but I just really, really like to go fast and have fun when I'm behind the wheel.  The problem though, is that other drivers don't think it's so fun when I pull right in front of them, or speed up behind them.  They get irked.  They honk.  I wave in an 

apologetic way.  Then they scowl, and I feel bad for making them angry. 

 It's something I've tried working on, because I'll probably get into an accident some day, but sometimes I can't help myself.

Now we'll move on to teaching.  I can't tell you the number of students who have gone ballistic because of something I said or did.  But I want to make something very clear:  I have never once tried to make a student angry, nor have I ever enjoyed seeing a student get angry.  But it has happened.  Usually it has something to do with grades, or the fact that I had them call home about their behavior.  I remember one student in particular who was furious with me because of a grade she received on a speech.  She got 59/60 and was heated with me for two weeks because she thought she earned a 100% and I just didn't want to give her that grade.  I can honestly say I've never seen someone get so upset over 1 point, but in her defense she did work extremely hard on the presentation.  I also vividly remember a girl in California who despised me for the first few weeks of school because I couldn't pronounce her name correctly.  Her name was Andrea, and a good friend of mine had the same name, but she pronounced it differently, so I as accustomed to saying it one way, and it took me a while to adjust.  She was not patient with me, and always became angry when I mispronounced her name.  

I suppose the important thing for me, is to realize that my actions do affect other people in subtle ways and in major ways.  And truthfully, I would much rather be the type of person who makes people happy, rather than someone who makes them enraged.  So, as much as possible, I try to minimize the negative things I do to others.  

Good night!

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