being pleasant

I try to be a very pleasant person. I tend to give people the benefit of the doubt when confronted with a snarky attitude or perhaps less than stellar service. A smile can go a long way in diffusing bad attitudes and smoothing over any tension in the air.

Work has been tense as the departments are getting ready to send supplies and people to the national meeting in California. My 'department' has the largest pallet of stuff being shipped as we sponsor an auction at the event for attendees. Several auction items will be carried to the convention site by the donors, but several were shipped to us for subsequent shipment to California.  The deadline for that option was early last week, so of course, something arrived yesterday.

This one little box required me to approach the warehouse gal with a request to put it on an unwrapped pallet. Her response was borderline toddler-esque. It was sort of funny, in a very sad way.

Now, I understand she is under considerable stress. I understand this is the most logistically difficult part of her job.

But, I also understand human nature and how nothing, yes, nothing goes as planned. There will always be people or events that rain on your parade. There will always be people or events that mess up your best laid plans.

You acknowledge that and you move on. You get over it. You are an adult and you adjust, compensate and paste a smile on your face and DEAL WITH IT.

Often the person interacting with you didn't want to be the one to mess up your world....they are the victim of the circumstance as well.

Maybe because I expect things to not run smoothly, I've learned to not get too upset when things don't run smoothly!

Okay, rant over.  Here's hoping for some smiles at work today....kill 'em with kindness and all that jazz!