Editorial note: Opinions expressed here are solely those of the blogger
The notion of pet peeves, or hang-ups, fascinates me because they’re all so subjective. Most people might find a certain action or word completely innocuous. Yet others might barely tolerate it. Like people eating or yawning when I’m conversing with them on the phone, Teams, Zoom, or any other platform.
Let’s start with eating. My attitude is that we’re all busy and yes, we do need to eat. But you don’t need to do it when you’re talking to me. Forget about chewing with your mouth open, which is impossible to discern if you’re on the phone. All that chomping and grinding coming into my ear drives me batty. Or, if it’s a call with a visual component, I find it very off-putting when someone else is eating and you’re not.
And then there’s yawning. Interestingly, the two more expected reactions don’t factor into my intense dislike. Someone else yawning doesn’t make me sleepy. And I don’t take affront, thinking that they’re bored with my company. Yet the sound and/or visual accompaniment of someone yawning is just like nails on a chalkboard to me.
But yesterday, I had something of an epiphany. My wife Wendy has been driving home with my father-in-law Manly from Miami while our daughter Sasha and I are home in Minneapolis. So, we decided to do a family group FaceTime with our son Ethan, who is in college; something we hadn’t done in quite some time.
It took us a surprisingly long time to set it up, but we eventually found a slot that worked for everyone. Wendy was exhausted from a day on the road and yawned a few times, reflexively apologizing. Ethan was eating dinner in the University of North Dakota cafeteria while we talked. But the thing is, I barely noticed when Wendy apologized and didn’t give Ethan eating a second thought. I was just so happy that our family was conversing together, if even virtually.
The all-too-brief family chat made me realize, which I knew deep down all along, that I was choosing to let silly things like people yawning and eating get under my skin. But I’m clearly able to look past it. We talk quite a bit about presenting our best selves. So, the affable, accommodating self I aim to project to my family should ideally be the same, or pretty close to what I present to others.
I’ll still get a kick out of pet peeves, or hang-ups. I believe they’re good for perspective, reminding us of our lives must be pretty darned good if we let these silly things drive us nuts. But I’ll be a little more aware of how I react to yawning, eating, or anything else all of us just do. And should keep doing without being judged.
Image credit: Rafael Cosquiere
shishkabobgirldad 