PET PEEVES AND CHRISTIANITY #OnlyChildProblems

 

Being a Christian is supposed to be easy, but in many circumstances, like the one I'm about to share, I find it difficult. 

The pet peeved look :-)

It's difficulty is further increased by the fact that I am an only child . Scriptures like, 'love is long suffering,' 'bears all things etc...' sounds so foreign to me, that I have highlighted them out in my bible boldly .... in... black?...

 

So,

I'm seated in a mat... I'm traveling out of the city and I plan to return the same day because as I like to say, "I'm married ," and our best couple is always reminding us that married people do their best to get home to their families, in time to tuck them to bed.... but that's a story for another day...

Back to me seating in a mat. I seat next to this lady... and she's the kind who likes to fidget or in this case shake her leg... and sadly, it's the leg on the left. The side I'm seated... On her right side is her friend/sister I don't know, but it's someone she knows coz she keeps talking to her... so I'm thinking, why does she have to shake this leg and not the other...

 

Me who likes to seat still and likes my leg shaken only when I'm the one shaking it, can't avoid getting irritated by this. Worst of all, and is the reason I am bringing this up, I only shake my leg like that when I am pressed. As in, toilet pressed. So, you see what she's doing?: Here I am speaking to my kidneys and every part of my urinary and digestive system to behave well because we don't know when we'll reach the next CLEAN washroom... then here comes someone psychologically triggering the unwanted .

 

However, I try to ignore it. I even move a few centimetres from her but nothing. I ask the Holy Spirit what to do. He says, "Invite her to the Phaneroo marriage conference." Something I've been doing lately when I am not in the mood to evangelize. "I won't!" I reply. I am shocked because I don't even talk to my 'age mates' like that . I need a solution not a suggestion of an activity though . "She doesn't even look receptive. Plus I'm sure it will turn out weird if she's not into marriage things..." I continue, while shamelessly judging that Daughter of God.

 

"Then tell her about me..."

 

"Nope, You know I picked this (more costly) option of transport, so I benefit from the silence.... so let me just tell her I don't like what she's doing, regain my peace then, depending on how she responds, we will see whether we'll get into further discussion."

I check my women's calendar, something I'm learning to do lately, after I snapped on someone older than me ... stop judging and keep reading... It reads: 'all clear, but still proceed with caution' ...

As soon as I say "Excuse me," I notice I don't know what to say. Do I tell her to stop shaking her leg because it's making me think about peeing? or because it's just a mere pet peeve? Does she even know the meaning of that word? The Englishian that I am came to know it last month ...

 

I eventually tell her that I am not comfortable with her leg-shaking, so if she is to keep doing it, she ensures she doesn't touch me... I further explain that the space I had left between us was to ensure she does her shaking without involving me...

 

I know, I know, by now you are judging me and thinking, Yve? You? Come on, or maybe she's narrating another's story in first person... Nope, it's all me.

 

By the way, for the mental healthers, let me clarify, I've lived with people suffering from anxiety before, and the leg shaking I'm referring to is not that... also, it is not at the speed of the Kwata Kawaya song... just slow, swaying kind of movement... also, she's in ear phones, and has been humming the whole time, so she's probably dancing to whatever she's listening to.

Guess what her response is? Yep, your right... or not... she tells me that I have issues and resolves to do whatever makes her happy. 

 

I can tell she wants us to argue... because she repeats herself several times. I politely respond, "I am sorry, at least you clearly saw that I tried to deal with this at first without talking to you. Thank you for letting me know that it makes you happy, so I will do my best to rejoice with you in your 'happy moments'..." I obviously, like any human, mumbled that last part... and thanked God for face masks

 

I go back to my uncomfortable position of sitting as close as possible to the other person on my left (yeah, it's a four seater mat), with my leg crossed so that our hips are not in contact. While she goes back to practicing for her Kwata Kawaya dance.

... talking about #KwataKawaya... I'll be posting something weddingy soon... look out...

 

That's the point I pick up my phone and decide to write about it... The writing helps to make the experience more humorous and slowly I find I don't notice her leg movements... and 30minutes into the journey, she doses off, but guess what, she positions herself in a way that the dancy leg won't sway to my side. (So she did hear me )

 

As my bladders begin to smile at the restored peace, I begin to feel guilty. Guilty because I'm not sure her soul is as happy and peaceful as my bladder. Okay now I see, wrong choice of simile... Guilty because I should have started with sharing Christ with her instead of selfishly diving into seeking my peace. Guilty because I should have at least asked the Holy Spirit for an alternative approach, e.g. being patient and hoping she falls asleep... Also, guilty because she may be right, I have issues, — only-child issues.

...

 

As the journey progresses though, the guilt melts away... I say melt because, Madam Leg-shaker also refuses the window be open. Yet the one on our row and one at the back are the only openable ones. So I guess most of the guilt I'm feeling, is melted by the high temperatures... and also something I need to work on before I got to my destination that occupies my mind, along side writing this story.

I keep trying to listen to the phone calls she receives to see whether she might have a knowledge of Christ... nothing !

 

During her waking moments I notice she does not shake her leg and actually occupies the few centimetres we had left between us...

I finally arrive, but she has 45 more minutes to arrive...

 

 

***********

 

So now you see why I started this post by saying I find Christianity difficult? I don't know what I am supposed to feel regarding that situation... I don't even know why I am sharing it here. I feel I did the right thing such that, if I were to be taken back to that exact circumstance, I think I would do the same exact thing, sadly... or may be not... I don't know...

 

Maybe a few questions I may have: what would you have done if you were in my situation? Have you ever missed an opportunity to share Jesus with someone because of a physical distraction? How did you get over that kaguilt feeling? I would be glad to hear in the comments.

 

In the meantime, I had mentioned a marriage conference above. It will be on 28th October... please register here:

https://bit.ly/ManifestKEMarriedsConf

#marriedsconf2021

It is open for all married, or considering marriage at some point in life. This will be my 3rd one to attend and trust me, you don't want to miss.

 

Until the next post, remember: You are God's artwork and God is at work in you, through you and for you.