If life throws stones, throw roses back.
Had a hospital appointment today My ticket number was 766. When 764 popped up and no one was there, I stepped up to the window.
A woman in her late 40s walked up asking where Window 7 was. I pointed to the window I was standing at. She barely listened, glanced at windows 8 and 9, came back, and said loudly while looking right at me: "This generation can't even read."
I asked who she was talking to, and she instantly said, "You!"
Instead of spiraling or letting her drag me down, I stayed calm, told her clearly I wasn't going to spend time responding to her, and walked away. As I left, she shouted, "Go visit a doctor!"
Normally, growing up in an abusive environment where speaking up meant danger, an encounter like this would have made me shrink or ruined my whole day. But I took a few seconds to process, kept my dignity, and refused to absorb her bad energy.
Right after, I went outside to buy a snack and saw a young girl crying with her mother. I bought a pack of tissues, handed them to her, and said, "I saw you crying, so I bought you this. Keep it." She laughed through her tears, thanked me, and I walked away feeling a deep, unbelievable inner peace.
If life throws stones, throw roses back. It was the first time in my life I felt 100% sure of my own voice. Just wanted to share a small win.