The Gift Of Being Annoyed - by: Jane Kifer

I was flying to New York from La, when this elderly gentleman got frustrated at a younger guy and his bag and he started to make a scene. Finally the guy passed and the older gentleman sat there angry. He called for a flight attendant and they could see this is clearly his problem as he explained what had happened 10 min earlier while everyone was getting on the plane. As she knelt next to him and listened , he sunk his head  into his hands and said 'I'm a millionaire, I'm not even supposed to be sitting back here!'

I thought 'Oh dear, lucky you! You are getting the gift of being out of your comfort zone to grow.'  I didn't think he'd take  that so well so I just kept that thought in my head. I did, however, show him where to pull the touchscreen at a slight tilt to work it rather than rip it out of the seat wall and out of its frame as he had done. He seemed to soften after that - well that and a half of a bottle of wine.

Shit comes up and annoys us and bothers us because its screaming to be looked at! It is an opportunity to clear it, heal it, deal with it, make peace with it, unstick it.

Whether you are living life and things come up,  meditating, raising children - anything - when we are annoyed, sad, scared, angry - its an opportunity -even when it doesn't feel like it.

I read a great quote the other day,'Life begins at the end of your comfort zone.' (Neale Donald Walsch) it surely doesn't feel good and is so hard, but its worth it. It has been worth it to me anyway.