So here we are at the end of another holiday season and everyone looks so exhausted.

With all of the hustle and bustle to get everything done over the past few months I found myself a bit more stressed than usual. Of course this goes against everything the holidays represent. It’s kind of like needing a vacation when you get home from your vacation. Strange how it works that way.

I’m one of the lucky ones when it comes to the holidays. Both of my parents are still living, I have a wonderful family and the holidays only represent good things for me. Like I said, I’m one of the lucky ones.

Last week one of my co-workers that is usually really nice was just the opposite. He was extremely short with me and to be honest, he said some things that really hurt my feelings. It was supposed to be a short and easy week as it was only a four day work week and most of the big shots were out of the office, but he made it a miserable week. My first reaction was to get angry and defensive, then I just shut down and did all I could to avoid conflict. Man, this guy was really being a jerk.

Fast forward to New Year’s weekend. I just kept thinking that he had three days off to cool down and hopefully he would be his old self when we went back to work. But you know what I forgot to do all last week? I forgot to pray about the situation. What was I thinking? Once I realized this I prayed about the situation. “Dear Lord, why is this guy such a jerk?” I asked. And then it happened. A little voice in me asked, “Why were YOU being such a jerk?” What???

You see, not once last week did I stop to think that my coworker might be having some problems. I instantly made the situation about me. He was mean to ME. He hurt MY feelings. Not once did I take a minute to ask him if he was okay or if he needed anything.

Because I am one of the lucky ones that has all my family around me for the holidays, I forget that there are a lot of people out there that are hurting because a love one may have passed away and this is the first holiday without them, or maybe they are divorced and missing their family.

My point is, we never know why a person acts like a jerk at times and before we make it about US, we should consider the other person and issues that they may be going through.

I pray that God uses this as a teaching experience with me and that I react differently when something like this happens again.

So, to my coworker. I’m sorry and I hope all is well. I will keep you in my prayers.

-Blessings