Saturday, October 22, 2011

Get out of my way, relaxed people

I am not a very relaxed person. But I did meet some very relaxed people on the road this morning - they strolled in front of my car. It was a quiet street, with a park on one side. Little Athletics was just winding down. A boy stepped onto the road without looking, with his mum behind him.  It wasn't very dramatic, I was probably only going about 15kmh when they stepped out. As I braked I thought "she'll look, and either pull him back or hurry him across".

She looked, saw me, and they continued sauntering, down the road across my path. Not even directly across the road, more sort of diagonally in the direction of their car, which was shorter and more convenient for them. As I swerved around them at about walking pace, I locked eyes with the lady and looked for some sort of awareness. No - she was really pretty relaxed.

Just one of those things. I don't usually let it grind me for this long. It's the kid, his blithe stepping onto the road, that gets me. He has learned this from his mum. How many people have accommodated her all through her life? Swerved around her in one way or another? And this kid has learned to expect the same. It's OK mate - people will swerve around you. Relax.

Whereas my poor kids are loaded down with all these rules about how to behave, look both ways, do unto others, look after your guests, take the one that's closest to you, etc etc. Like I was. I am concerned with doing the right thing - and I am teaching my kids to be the same. I am responsible for them, and I am teaching them to be responsible too. It's a burden I am handing on to them.

It's hard not to be envious of the relaxed ones who just don't worry, and their lucky carefree kids who don't worry either.

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