Personal Development Newsletter

Have you thought about this??

???? There are times when we should be angry!

???????? What does it take … to make you angry?

When I was a boy, one of my favorite movie stars was cowboy Wild Bill Elliott. I especially liked it when he said …?

“I’m a peace-loving man, but a peace-loving man can only be pushed so far!”?

How far is that for you??

On a Saturday afternoon, my travel-weary family arrived at Myrtle Beach for a week’s vacation. ?The children wanted to get to the beach as soon as possible.? On the way to the condo I had rented, we stopped at McDonald’s to pick up hamburgers. (No Chick-fil-A in Myrtle Beach back then.)

The restaurant was crowded with two long lines to the counter. Immediately, an overwhelmed teen-age worker caught my attention.?

The name on her badge was “Rhonda.” ?Surely, it was her first day on her first job. ?I have seen her situation many times and my heart went out to her. I was glad to get in her line.?

It would give me an opportunity to encourage her.?

Encourage One Another!?

Then the trouble started.?

Immediately ahead of me an old self-appointed loud-mouth comedian began belittling Rhonda by making ugly comments about her to his wife. His voice was so loud ... everyone ... waiting to be served could hear him.?

Even Rhonda could hear him.??

Maybe, he wanted all of us to know how clever he was.?

Pointing to Rhonda, he said,?

“That girl forgot to wake up this morning.” Ha, ha, ha!?

???? ?“I wonder what’s between her ears.” Ha, ha, ha!?

His wife obviously admired his wit, she laughed at every word.?

No one else ... in the restaurant ... thought he was funny.?

When he came to the counter to give Rhonda his order, he continued firing his unkind comments … directly to her.?

“Did you forget wake up this morning.” Ha, ha, ha!?

????? “What have you got between your ears … air?” Ha, ha, ha!?

That made me ... intensely ... angry!?

???? It was more than I could tolerate!?

I remembered what Wild Bill Elliott said about situations like this one.?

“I’m a peace-loving man, but a peace-loving man can only be pushed so far!”?

So, I confronted the loud-mouth jerk, asking,?

“Does it make you feel good to make her feel bad?”?

???? [ Absolute silence in the restaurant.]

Every eye was on me and the loud-mouth jerk.?

I expected people to clear the tables and move back for a barroom brawl like I had seen in western movies.?

His wife said,?

???? “My husband is not a bad guy, he’s just teasing.”?

The jerk added,?

???? “I was just having fun with her.”?

I made clear to him,?

???? “What you are doing is not fun for Rhonda.”?

When Rhonda served me ... I complimented her.?

???? “I admire the way you calmly served that rude man.”?

Encourage One Another!?

As I left the restaurant, the jerk met me at the door.?

He was not happy, ??

???? “You got my wife very upset.”?

I stared at him,?

???? “Think about what you did … to Rhonda.”?

What Does It Take to Make You Angry??

It makes me angry to see young people bullied.?

I am especially sensitive when anyone criticizes, belittles, or humiliates young people who are trying to learn.?

Do you remember your first job? I remember being young and a slow learner!?

Let’s encourage ... the young ... and the slow learners.?

???? And, don’t let bullies discourage them!?

Encourage One Another!?

What Does It Take to Make You Angry??

--- Jimmy Collins, Personal Development Newsletter?

Like stories? My latest book?Jimmy’s Stories? is available on Biblio.com .? https://www.biblio.com/book/jimmys-stories-jimmy-collins/d/1604855871 ?

Career advancement principles are in my book,?Creative Followership ? ?also available on Biblio.com .??? https://www.biblio.com/book/creative-followership-jimmy-collins/d/1604564938 ?

#bullies #angry #slowlearners #training #leadership #followership