We were traveling the other day and stopped for fuel at a small town service station/restaurant.
This place is not set up considering personal space at all. It is setup as a pinch point at the entrance with the cash register so that they can see all from one location for security.
2 people working the cash register, 1 person leaving the restaurant 10ft from the cash register but held up by someone saying hello to him. 1 of the persons at the cash register watching and waiting to serve him.
I approach the cash register and stop 10ft before it waiting for the other customer to finish his conversation and be served first. The person behind the cash register turns their attention towards me and motions to me that he will serve me first because the other customer is still chatting.
This is where awareness comes in.
When I walked in I took note that the person leaving the restaurant was in a hurry and was only chatting in order to be polite. The person chatting also took note of me walking in and I could feel the concern that he felt that he should be served at the cash register first, leaving before I do.
As the person at the cash register turned to me, the person chatting noticed this and ended his conversation while stepping up to the cash register to be served. When he stepped up to the cash register he entered into an area where 4 comfort zones were overlapping. The aggravation of comfort zones overlapping along with the fact that he felt he lost his place in line was causing him frustration. As he looked at me it could be felt that he was seeing me as the source of his frustration.
I do not take offence to this. What I feel is the need for compassion at this point, understanding the reasons behind his frustration and doing what I can to help him find peace within again.
I maintained my position of 10ft away, bowed to the gentleman behind the cash register and said, "This gentleman was here before me, I will wait for him to be served first." I then bowed to the gentleman waiting to be served.
The gentleman waiting to be served instantly smiled, his frustration was gone, he no longer looked at me as a source of frustration , but rather looked at me with love and kindness.
This person may not have understood what was causing his frustration/aggravation and if left untreated then the frustration/aggravation will be radiated from that person until they find peace within again.
Through awareness we can feel that which surrounds us and this helps us be able to bring peace to those around us that are frustrated with the present situation.
This person will now go forward, until they loose peace within again, spreading love and kindness instead of frustration and aggravation.
This is one of the ways we strive to bring peace to all. We call it self respect, for without self respect you will not know how to respect the greater part of yourself. The greater part of yourself being all that surrounds you.
We are all children of the same universe.
May peace be with all.
