IF I hadn't thought of it...

Every so often I have a run in with what I would call a "Yahoo"....a stranger in the world that seems to be seriously annoyed @ life and takes it out on anyone who is in their way. My husband always seems to be able to be the bigger person in situations where he is wronged but I however, sometimes have a hard time. I tend to get sarcastic and make sure the rude person knows just exactly how I feel. Of course in a passive aggressive non confrontational way. In any case, today I had a very rude lady while she was texting & driving almost run into me. I was taking my turn @ a four way stop and I had to slam on my brakes because here she came also. I went ahead with a smile on my face waved her to go on, even though it was MY turn & she about hit me. Instead of mouthing "OH! I'M SO SORRY!" Like I would have done (which of course means it's the right thing to do if it's what I would have done... ha ha) She instead glared at me and mouthed a word that rhythms with "itch". It's stuff like that, that just gets my feather's all ruffled! All sorts of angry thoughts went through my head as I was driving off but then the first few lines of the poem "IF" popped into my head. It totally helped...because IF I hadn't thought of it I would of spent more time being angry than necessary. I had a fabulous day @ the pool with friends & kids so why would I let some obviously clueless and unhappy person ruin it?

If...
Rudyard Kipling

If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or being lied about, don't deal in lies,
Or being hated, don't give way to hating,
And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise:
If you can dream - and not make dreams your master;
If you can think - and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to broken,
And stoop and build 'em up with worn out tools:
If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breathe a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: 'Hold on!'
If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with kings - nor lose the common touch,
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,
If all men count with you, but none too much;
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run -
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And - which is more - you'll be a Man my son!