Eating Crow
Once upon a time I was chatting up a colleague. After a few exchanged pleasantries, she brought up a conversation we had about six months prior. All I remembered about the conversation was that I was in a hurry to get to practice. But she remembered more. She had been carrying guilt from using some harsh words describing a situation she encountered earlier in the day.
I had forgotten.
I was touched by her meekness. Her frustrations were not directed at me. She could have easily shrugged the incident off reasoning I probably had too (which would be true). Or that since her annoyance was not directed at me, I wasn’t the one needing the apology. But yet she was compelled to seek forgiveness.
I then compared the incident with arguments I have with my husband. How often do I act childish, selfish and unruly? How many times have I vented about someone or something without considering how my words may affect Mark’s opinion of said person, place or thing? How often to I intentionally seek his forgiveness? I KNOW he will forgive me because I KNOW that he unconditionally loves me. But yet I trip over my pride and carry on as if an imaginary request and granting of forgiveness occurred.
So, thank you, kind coworker, for leading by example. I needed that.
