God Grant Me The Serenity

So I decided to skip the gym and come straight home today. Well not straight home. I did need to stop by the grocery store for some things and it was supposed to storm. I didn't want to get caught in the rain waiting for the bus and walking to my apartment after that, so I left the office on time and headed for the subway.

When I get to the station, I am greeted by hundreds of disgruntled passengers on my platform. I have my headphones on and my book, so I don't worry about it.

--Get Here by Oleta Adams finishes playing where I left off this morning.--

I head down the escalator and get off behind a woman with a seeing eye dog. I don't know if she had just fed him or if the escalator or all the people spooked him, but he left a few turds in his wake as he exited the escalator... of course she didn't see them. So I just noticed, stepped over them as they rolled continuously at the bottom of the escalator and found me a place to stand on the platform.

Most people thought the shit on the escalator was funny. Some people even warned others. Someone wasn't paying attention, I bet they got funny looks all the way home.

--Take Me As I Am by Mary J. Blige plays--

The train finally comes. There is some switch problem somewhere on the line. The doors opened and no one got off. Most of the people on the platform were trying to get on. There was announcement "Please do not crowd the train. There is a train right behind this one." Most crowded on anyway, some people cursed and complained as the doors shut before they could get on. I just shifted to a more prominent position so I could catch the next train, which surely wouldn't have as many people on it as this one. I was right.

The next train came and I waited for people to crowd on first. Since there were less people on the train when it pulled in, there was room for me to get on and have a place to stand without bumping anyone. I took that spot and the doors closed.

--Time by Musiq Soulchild plays--

The train left the station and pulled partway through the tunnel and stopped abruptly, jostling us on the train. From the looks on peoples faces, things were going from bad to worse for them. I don't know for sure because I had my headphones on and only looked up briefly from the book I was reading. I was glad to have more time to read.

After about five minutes, the train continued its journey. People got off. More people got on. I was able to keep my spot in front of the opposite door and admire the cuties that entered the train. MMMMMMM Gooood! Was he looking at me? I bet he was. I just go back to reading my book.

The next few stops are non-eventful. Then we get to L'Enfant Plaza. More people crowd on the train. Many cuties pressed there way into the car. I wished I was pressed next to a few of them. Then this young boy and his girlfriend have to stand really close to me and bumped my book. I looked up. Said nothing, thought nothing. Shifted the angle of my book and kept reading.

--Save Me by Mary Mary fades out. Why by Anthony Hamilton comes on.

The next few stops the young boy is forced by the movement of the train to bump into my book continuously. Not enough to distract, just enough to notice. I noticed and kept on reading. He was enjoying picking fun at his girlfriend. And I thought it was funny too.

--Private Party by India Arie plays--

At Eastern Market, there is an announcement. "This train is now out of service. Everyone will have to exit here." This time, above the volume of my IPhone, I could hear the grumbles and complaints and cursing. I followed the crowd off og the train and walked around to the outside of the crowd. I didn't want to get caught in the press of people trying to get on the next train. People didn't look happy. "Oh, Well." I thought and went back to reading my book. The book was getting good.

The first train passed and I waited. People crowded onto the train as the announcement came on apologizing for the switch problem and saying that trains were backed up one behind another so the next one would be there as soon as this one left. The announcement was largely ignored.

The next train pulled in directly behind the one that pulled out. People pressed in and I found a place at the front of the car, right by the door. That was good since I only had one stop to go.

-- Be Without You by Mary J. Blige plays --

I got off at Potomac Avenue and it was raining. Not too hard though. So I pulled my hood over my head (my umbrella got broken over the weekend) and went to the store. I realized I left my shopping list on my desk at work. "Damn!" I said. Then "Oh well, I will just get what I can remember today and the rest tomorrow." And that's what I did.

-- Is She the Reason by Destiny's Child plays --

I got what I could remember, paid and carried my bags out the door. It was raining a little harder now. I pulled my hood on. I hoped I wouldn't have to wait to long for the bus. Less that five minutes later the bus pulled around the corner. I let the women board the bus first and follow. There was a seat that I was glad to get because my bag of groceries was heavy. I pulled my book back out and continued reading.

-- Overjoyed by Stevie Wonder plays --

My stop came up before I knew it and I was exiting. The rain had slowed up, thankfully. I walked up the hill and into my apartment, still feeling good despite all that happened.

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Any time during this evening, I could have gotten frustrated by events that I had no control over. But instead I settled into the moment and accepted the situation as it was and didn't waste my energy on things I could do nothing about. I did what I could and just let the rest unfold as it would. I controled the only thing I could - My reactions to the events.

So I am thankful that God is granting me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can and the wisdom to know the difference.

Amen...