Unkindness

So I had in interesting experience with someone in my ward the other night.  I've been doing a lot of thinking.  It was a dumb "run in" with someone who has the reputation of being the ward grump (to put it mildly).  I won't bore you with details.  But basically, I was doing my job, and she didn't like the way I did it.  I was stressed, over tired and turned out to be A LOT more emotional than I normally would have been.  Normally, I would have some quick retort to put her back in "her place".  I don't let people treat me that way. But I was caught off guard, and ended up crying - which only made me more upset - to get so worked up over something I would normally solve rather quickly.  I've, of course thought of a million things I wish I had said, had I had my wits about me that night.

But it wouldn't have solved anything.

She was confronted by people who saw and overheard the whole thing and she apologized in her own way.  Which actually turned out to be a sob fest on her part about how she is the victim. Sad really. I've come to see that the reasons she is struggling is she is lonely - much of her own doing, I'm afraid.  She seems to stir up trouble in her wake and wonder why people don't flock around her to be her friend and then feels alienated.  We sat by each other the rest of the night - sort of, on my part, to let those who saw and heard, know that it was all ok. 

The stubborn snarky side of me says - "well, she met her match, didn't she!" I know I can't, and won't let her treat people, including myself, they way she did the other night. I do try, to think before I speak. 

So now I sit here, trying to figure out, what I'm supposed to learn from this and how I feel bad for her.  Sure, I was offended, but I've got pretty thick skin. It takes A LOT to get my "feathers ruffled" and normally the situation wouldn't have bothered me as much as it did.  The part that bothers me now is where she is in her life... playing the victim card, dishing out unpleasantness, and expecting happiness in return. --- and how am I supposed to HELP her... I feel like I'm supposed to (with some armor on though)

(disclaimer : for those of you who know of the situation, or the person I am referring to, please keep this personal post private.  I do not wish to make this bigger. More for people to see that sometimes, everyone just needs to be seen in a different light.  I'm not condoning her actions - nor do I wish to embarrass her or make it bigger than it got.  Just something in my thoughts since it happened)