YMCA

Almost every morning I get up very early and go to the YMCA to workout or play basketball. Upon entering I always put my work clothes in my locker. One morning there was an older gentleman (over 60) in the middle of the walk way (changing clothes) Normally I would have given him time to move, but for some reason this morning I rushed past him brushing him with my bag. I didn't need my gift of discernment to ascertain that he was extremely agitated & I'm sure that my nonchalant "sorry" only added fuel to his fire. I locked up my stuff and got to the business of staying in shape; leaving him fuming (probably more for my nonchalant attitude than anything else). I had the feeling that I had shown restraint & been reasonable in at least offering an apology (however weak it was) & not chastising him for blocking the aisle.   At some point during the course of my workout I saw him & he still seemed to be on "tilt." A younger more immature version of myself would have taken some twisted sense of pride in being able to get so deeply underneath someones skin with out actually having done or said anything that was technically wrong. However, on this day I walked over to him and apologized letting him know that I didn't intentionally bump into him and should have allowed him an opportunity to move aside.    Not even I expected what came from that moment. This man went from brewing what seemed to be internal hatred and rage to being extremely apologetic. He apologized for longer than I wanted to stand there, but more importantly by apologizing I turned a situation that would have brought negative energy into my path on almost a daily basis into a situation where a gentleman with 60+ years of knowledge seeks me out on a weekly basis to discuss everything from his faith, to race relations, to economics.

This story embodies a couple of things that I have come to see as fact after 29 years on this Earth.

1) If you want to change the world, you  have to be willing to change yourself.

2) Without compromise there cannot be true growth or sustainable progress.

#PrescottPrinciples #StoryTime