Don't be a meany!

Do you ever wonder why there are so many mean people out there? I do! I just got to thinking today about why people are so mean. You know those people who are in line at the grocery store, bank, department store, restaurants, driving in their car, or anywhere else... and are yelling at the workers or giving someone "the bird". I don't even have a story of someone who was mean to me today... I actually contemplate this topic all the time! One thing I tend to think about a lot is, while I am driving and start to get mad at someone else who is not driving the way I think they should be, is ... "am I in a hurry OR does it REALLY matter if this person is driving slow?" .. and 90% of the time the answer is NO! It doesn't matter! It's the same thing standing in line at Walmart. I will find myself getting mad because I have been waiting awhile. Then I think, "I don't even need to be anywhere after this, what's the hurry!?"
It's too bad more people don't think like that... then people wouldn't be so mean. Another one of my favorite examples... when I worked at the bank, as a teller, if we did not know the person who was withdrawing money, we would ask them to show ID. Easy enough, right?? NOOO! We had people get extremely mad ALL the time!
Customer: "WHAT DO YOU MEAN? I have banked here for 100 years!! I have NEVER ONCE been asked to show my ID!!
Teller: "Well, I have not worked here for 100 years, so I do not know you yet."
Customer: "Where is Betty? She knows me! Just ask her!"
Teller: "What if some stranger came in to withdraw money from your account... wouldn't you want me to ask them for ID or should I just give them your money? We ask for ID to protect you."

OK, so I never actually said that to anyone... but I wished I could have. People just COULD NOT understand that asking for their ID is actually protecting them and their money! (sigh) Anyways... I could go on complaining about mean people for days! I've just decided I am going to be as nice as possible to all sales people, tellers, clerks, waitresses, and really old people who drive slow. (However, there is a time to "speak up" if something is not right at a place of business, I think you just need to be tactful about it!)

PS: Even though this is a post where I am complaining about mean people, I also do not like people who complain all the time! Is that totally hypocritical? I think there is harmless complaining, kind of like I am doing... or maybe like "Pop" complains about yard sale signs. The three people I talk to the most (Tom, Susan, and my mom) can all verify that I do complain about things from time to time, but it's those people who complain about EVERYTHING that I do not like. Or maybe it's the negative attitude towards everything that I do not like. And when people are always complaining about other people. Someone is always complaining to me about their calling in church, or the bishop, or "so and so" who just doesn't do their calling right. Hmmm, anyways... I think I have vented enough for one day.... and I am sure everyone would like me to stop complaining now!