Tonight’s post, while not a repeat, is about a subject I wrote about a few months ago. Choices. Choices that we make and choices that we believe that others make us choose. I found myself upset today at another person and then at myself. This world has us going at a million miles an hour. In that whirlwind, we allow snap judgements, decisions, and actions to occur. It is only after the fact that we can finally take a moment to look back and see what actually happened.
I am sure all readers are well aware of the news over the Samsung Note 7. It blows up! I purchased mine to replace an older version which I liked, but needed to update (okay – I didn’t need to update, but I did). Then a few weeks ago news broke of the problems with the phones. Knowing that I needed to get on a plane to fly home, and hearing that the FAA didn’t want them on airplanes, I ran and replaced the bad version with a new phone. Now, this week, we hear that the placement phones are doing the same. Nothing like waking up one morning to hear that Samsung recommends turning the phone off and not using it – yeah, like that can happen in this day and age.
This lead to a fun phone call with Verizon in order to check on the turn in procedure. The representative told me not to worry since it is only a small number that have caught fire. When asked if he would like to be the person to tell me that one day and have my leg burn off the next, the representative suggested that I go to the store and turn it in.
This is where the story actually starts. Our daughter and I went to the store last night only to find out nothing could be done. We had set-up to start a new phone plan on the 20th. Apparently this messed up the paperwork for the exchange. I spent over an hour before asking if they could fix the issue and text me. “No problem,” was the response. Jump to today.
I went back to the store and heard the check-in person tell the gentleman before me that the wait was 30 minutes. After 10 minutes, a young representative came out. He told me that he looked at my account and due to the new plan, I would not get the huge discount that I was given two months ago, would have to pay full price, and that it would be done in monthly installments. When I informed him that I was still on the old plan, the representative informed me he knew that but the pending order stopped him from doing anything. I allowed my frustration to peak and asked, “So the customer gets screwed?”
He replied, “there is nothing we can do.” I had had enough and left the store. I tried to call the company but was on hold during my entire drive. Apparently, I was not the only one having problems. When I got to my computer, I decided to see what my fingers could do on-line. I saw that I could do an upgrade, and, sure enough, when I clicked on it, it asked if I wanted to cancel the plan change allowing me to once again have the discounted price. I drove back to the store.
After dealing with the manager, we were able to sort everything out. At the end, the manager stated that he was glad it was done. I told him that he owed it to his salesman to train him so that he knew how to do this. Then it would be done.
So why share this?
While I did not scream and throw a tantrum, I came very close to bursting out in anger. I walked away before I did, but I did get angry. I was mad at the company. I was mad at the sales representative. I was mad. They made me mad…. or did they?
I have written about an old Chief Master Sergeant in the past who talked about just this. I will remember to my last days his comments at my commencement from Airmen Leadership School. Every emotion you have is your choice. Everything you do is your choice. You and only you get to decide when to be angry, happy, sad, or otherwise. On days like this it is hard to take the responsibility. But I am reminded of the old saying that I have heard time and time again – when you are pointing the finger of blame at someone, four fingers are pointing at you.
All of these words came rushing back to me. Then I got angry again, but this time I chose to be upset. The representative was doing his job (quite possibly he knew what to do but had been taught to offer the one plan first). I wasn’t getting what I thought I should be given so I chose to get upset. I chose to walk out. I then chose to go back and fix it. Everything was a choice and it was mine to make. I calmed down. Life continued.
Then I saw all of the Facebook postings. While I will not push for one side or the other, I see people questioning why all of the arguing, screaming, and disagreement. These people are also making choices. People choose to post, others choose to read, and yet more choose to argue. What would happen if we all choose to stop? We choose to not let others upset us to the point that we add argumentative posts. What would happen if we all choose to stop the bickering and have discussions, or if we just understand that Facebook postings do not change the minds of others and just let it go.
So tonight I choose to stay calm. I choose to research what I will be voting for, and I choose to no longer get upset due to the actions of others.