An unfree and unlaughing moment

Yesterday I had an unfree and unlaughing moment!

I turned into a parking space at a small shopping plaza. The vehicle beside me was parked badly i.e. on the yellow line, and so I adjusted how I parked in order to give the driver space to enter his car. A security guard began frantically signalling to me, his face contorted with the most sour disposition, to park properly i.e. square within the yellow lines. An abundance of hand signalling, word mouthing and eye rolling followed as he tried to explain what he wanted me to do. I turned down my windows and said “Good morning sir” which usually has the effect of softening the unhappy person. Not this time. He did respond in like words, but retained his very unpleasant disposition. I asked him “Would you like me to park in a certain way”? He railed yes, and I must park properly and what is wrong with people who can’t drive, and on and on and on. Each time I tried to adjust my car, he indicated that it wasn’t perfect. I found myself getting flustered, and even considered just leaving, as the matter I was attending to was not urgent. Meanwhile, the driver of the vehicle that had bad-parked beside me was looking at the whole interlude with the greatest of humour. That made me even more upset as HE was the reason I had not parked properly in the first place!

Finally I parked to the guard’s satisfaction and went about my business. When I returned, he was still carrying on loudly about how “Some people can’t drive they can only steer, etc.” clearly aimed at “some people” being me. I was most upset, and just could not bring myself to be free and laughing!

In reflecting on this situation, what COULD I have done to be free and laughing? I had a number of choices:
1. I could have happily ignored the guard’s instructions. Maybe not a good idea, as he was so wrapped up in his wanting to be right and exert his ultimate authority as the ruler of the space!
2. I could have driven off – I really didn’t need the product, and it turned out that the store didn’t have it anyway. So my instinct to leave was telling me something
3. I could have changed my countenance. Even when he responded dourly to my gay “good morning” I could have simply said with the brightest of smiles “I will be happy to park properly, just bear with me a minute. I really do appreciate your help”. Would that have made a difference to him? Maybe, maybe not. But it would have made a real difference to me!

There are other things I could have done, but these scenarios give examples of the multitude of choices facing us in any given moment. At any moment during that 5-minute interlude, I could have chosen a different way of being and acting.

Now I am free and laughing about that moment – a day later, but at least I am free of the emotion and able to laugh! I can move on to enjoy my moments today, unburdened by yesterday’s experience. I am now present to this moment. I am free and laughing!