A Kinder, Gentler Andrea

A note to the young woman who had the audacity, the unmitigated gall, to park in my RESERVED parking space: 

You are fortunate, my dear, that it is 2011 and not 2001 or earlier.  In 2001, I would not have canceled the request to have your vehicle towed from my parking space.  You are also fortunate that, despite your flippant attitude, I did not throw my vehicle in "park," turn off the ignition and leave you there to deal with being blocked in.    

Today it was only a thought, but just a few years ago, amid your protests of "you're blocking me in," I would have said "give it your best shot," gone inside and played my piano, leaving you to do just that:  give it your best shot.  I would, of course, have made a note of the make, model, color and license plate number of your 
vehicle, and at sometime in the afternoon, instead of writing this little note, traced your plates to ascertain the identity and address of the vehicle's owner and followed up with a certified letter.

Indeed, young woman with the nasty attitude, you should thank God for the modicum of grace and tolerance I had today, which I did not have not too long ago.  You should thank Him also, that on this Lord's day, I had just returned home from two worship services where each element of prayer, scripture reading, litany, hymn, gospel song, anthem and sermon touched my heart, convicted and convinced me -- for perhaps if it were yesterday, and I had returned home from errands in the heat, traffic jams caused by bad driving and closed freeways, and other annoyances of being exposed to rude people -- I would not have been properly equipped to show you any modicum of grace because I would have run out.

You should thank God for South Main Baptist Church's intern, Timothy Peeples, who reminded me that while it all started with dirt when God formed man a blew into him the breath of life, it all ends with love -- the love of God for us in giving His Son, and the love His Son taught us to have for God the Father, and for each other.  

You don't even realize it, because to you it was nothing to trespass on my rights. Indeed, young woman, your Sunday afternoon could have been fraught with conflict as you strode to your vehicle, counting a wad of cash that you probably did not earn, and if you did, not legally, for it is uncommon to carry a wad of C-notes like scratch paper, which at first glance would cause any bank to report a cash deposit of that nature.  Your entire afternoon might have been ruined by your insensitivity.  Instead, you parked in the RESERVED parking space of an older, kinder, gentler, and more gracious Andrea.  


Please take notice, young woman, tomorrow I will still be older, but tomorrow does not hold the promise that I will as kind, gentle or gracious.