maybe they just want a sandwich

 

My son Lance and I usually always try to get lunch quick and get back to the office on the day that payroll comes in so that the other person in the office doesn't have to wait a long time to go have lunch. That usually means we'll be getting our food from a drive-thru window. 

A couple of weeks ago I was going through the drive-thru with Lance to get a sandwich on check day. We ordered and pulled around. I paid for the food and our drinks were handed to us. Then, we waited like you do until your food is brought to the window. During our wait Lance was saying that while he had been gone to his summer drill that he had been drinking caffeine and that is why he got a Mountain Dew to drink instead of water. He took a big sip and said, "the nectar of the Gods." I laughed and at the same time heard the window open and turned to see our food was ready. The guy at the window just starred at me and I thought he was about to say something about my sunglasses. I wasn't being full of myself but I do get a lot of compliments on the ones I was wearing. He looked at me and I looked at him and neither of us spoke for a second. Then he said, "were you laughing or making fun of me." I assured him that we were laughing about Lance and his drink, even telling him the story. He handed me our food without the look of disgust leaving his face. I could tell I had done a poor job of convincing him I was being honest. I drove away feeling bad and sad. It really hurt me that this poor person could look at two people who were having a silly moment together and only see, "They are laughing at me." Now when I go back and he waits on us, I see that he recognizes us from that day and I feel very awkward and am afraid of what the look on my face may be conveying to him. I can tell ya this, he does not like us. And he does not like us because Lance had to have his special juice and make a joke about it.

I just wanted to tell this story to highlight how people who don't feel good about themselves see the world through a filter of their own insecurities. There are countless reasons we could have been laughing that day and he chose to think we were laughing at him. 

If you recognize this story in yourself. Try to always see the countless reasons a person could laugh that have nothing to do with you and chose one. Your life will be so much more happy because of it. It is unimportant if you are correct or not. If there is a person at your drive up window laughing at you it will not change your life good or bad. Chances are if they are laughing at you they won't ever think about it again after they drive away and have their laugh and if they do, you won't know it. You control the space between you and all others. That space will be what you want it to be. There is no truth greater than the truth you believe. Everything else is none of your business. 

Sometimes, folks just want a sandwich and you can believe that or you can believe they drove into your life just to have a laugh at your expense.