Now watch her head spin

This past weekend I got to spend twelve hours sitting in hot, crowded stands watching my daughters' swim meet. And I'm one of those people. Reading on my Kindle, listening to my iPod and responding to messages on my smart phone. There's really only so much swimming (of children other than your own) that one can watch. I much prefer my son's wrestling tournaments, even with the smell.

A woman walked up in the stands Sunday morning that caught my eye. She was petite and dainty. She wore a very stylish black sweater with a neatly wrapped purple scarf around her neck. Her dark brown hair was in a messy bun and her face had very fine feminine features. A pretty lady for sure. I'd guess she was a little younger than I am. She had a gentle smile on her face as she approached some other parents she knew. Her mannerisms were graceful and poised. Until...

With my head phones on, I was startled by this loud horrendous scream coming from this little lady female. She was screaming her daughter's name in an attempt to get her attention because her heat was on the blocks. Her daughter must have been distracted (imagine that of a nine-year-old). She was deck entered into this event meaning they entered her that morning. Her name was not in the heat sheet (schedule).

The woman continued screaming her name, first and last, with a fury that got everyone's attention in the seating area. Then, once her daughter made her way (on time) to the blocks, the woman sat down in a huff and with sheer rage let out a sound I'm not sure how to type; "hhhyyyymmmmppphhh" while she buried her face in her hands.

Demon! Be gone from this woman! 

There can't possibly be anything logical about this overreaction. Was it the $5 deck entry fee? Her daughter was not in danger of achieving a state qualifying time, so it wasn't that.

How quickly our quiet gentle spirit can be annihilated by the slightest of things. It's not just a woman issue either. Play a round of eighteen holes for clear examples of the tiniest thing bringing a man to rage.

I remember being prone to rage. When there's a lack of peace in our hearts, it is easy to succumb to anger and irrational outbursts. Having a calm spirit can be achieved but it takes work. It takes a conscientious awareness of our emotions. It takes a real understanding of what is important. It takes an awareness of how your rage is translated to those who witness it.

This woman's husband was next to her. After her face turned from crimson back to peach I could hear her talking to her husband, justifying the outburst. He got up and left. She looked around for a sympathetic face. I'm thankful she didn't look up at me. I was laughing with my daughter - the young one prone to fits herself. It was great for her to see how ridiculous it looks. 

I can't possibly understand everything in that woman's life from that one moment. I could shrug it off as just a woman being irrational. No doubt this is not right behavior and not acceptable no matter who you are.