Panera Ponderings - a response on margin

I received an excellent comment from a "Linda" (it was an anonymous post so I couldn't ask permission to use her post as a blog entry) and wanted to see it. She pleads the case for those who may need a little extra grace because of life circumstances. Take a read:

Tye,

I hear what you are saying, and can appreciate the frustration that comes from dealing with people who don't plan out there time very well. I am guilty of this more times than I would like to admit. I have worked in service all of my life, and have experienced this from both sides of the fence. I would challenge you to look at the situation closer. Please humor my creative writing below.

The Mom that is running late may be a a soldier's wife doing the "single parent thing" while her husband is in Iraq. She was up most of the night with a child who misses his/her Dad. She thinks the shot of caffeine will get her through the morning meeting with her boss.

The man whose day is packed with activity may be taking care of his wife and kids, and his Mom who is trying to take care of his father at home, even though the Alzheimer's is getting to be too much for her. There are three, younger, more educated people in his office that want his job, and he is so stressed that his health is at risk. He is starting to lose patience with everyone he comes in contact with. He doesn't speak up (he has to wear a strong face for his family). He over eats, smokes, and thinks he's "dealing" with the life he has been dealt. He knows that insurance rates are going up because he's checking into a private nurse for his Dad so they won't have to put him in a nursing home.

Some people are hurting on a daily basis and we just see the "mask" they put on that day. They make poor choices, they put their health at risk, and they may not get out of bed until the last minute because they can't bear another day.

I wore one of those masks the year my Dad was dying of cancer. At times I hid in humor, at other times I got impatient and I am sure I was very hard to be around. I know I left very little room for margin. I was blessed with loving people who saw me through it and loved me. Now I always wonder what kind of day someone is really having when they are rude, impatient or unpleasant. The margin may be on my part, and how I react to them. I am not saying that everyone has a "story", some folks just manage their time poorly. I just wanted to suggest a different perspective. I appreciate your blog, keep sharing! Linda

Linda - thank you so much for reading my blog and commenting! Please know that I did my dead-level best to treat each of those "margin deprived" folks with grace and patience because that is what they needed.

Since my gift in life is "implementer/refiner" I am always trying to "fix" things which is the reason I blogged on this. If you don't have margin, think of ways to create it. If you are in a season - pray your way through and don't take out your frustrations on others.

And trust me, I know what life without margin looks like. Thankfully, I am not there right now.
Tye out.