A few weeks back, I had to visit my bank to get something done. It sounded easy in my head and yet, the person I talked to there managed to make me walk away with an unprecedented amount of rage. He didn’t sound like he wanted to help, and kept asking for things he knew I didn’t have. I went home feeling angry, very angry, that I decided to just give up on the whole thing.

A few days ago though, I was reminded that I had to do it again and so I prepared whatever he had asked for, and decided to go back. I talked to a different guy this time, yet still, he was more annoying than the first one. I don’t even know what communication skills training they get at this place, for I happened to walk away again with even more rage and anger. I didn’t know what to do with it all, I just started tearing up. And I still didn’t get my thing done.

I sat there in silence for a while, trying to make sense of things. I thought, if everything that happens is meant to teach me something, what exactly was this trying to tell me? I didn’t get it. Why? was all I could ask. And silence was all I heard back. I thought I should give up again, but then on my way home, it occurred to me that maybe, I can try visiting another branch? With absolutely no expectations in mind, I did exactly that. And the lady I spoke with over there, wait for it... managed to get it done for me in exactly 10 minutes! I wanted to cry even harder then.

That’s when I had to sit down and really try to make sense of things. Why had I never thought of this before? Why did I decide to keep going back to the same place that brought my negative feelings out? Why did this sound like my same approach to basically everything in life? Doing the same thing over and over, expecting different results? When I could very simply just try a different branch? A different person, a different strategy, or a different mindset?

I’m not sure if this was really supposed to teach me anything at all, but I still have this urge to go back to the old branch, tell everyone there that I got it all done, and that I just. hate. them. all. Sounds exactly like a brand new sane approach to dealing with the annoying people of my life, amirite?

Written on: January 27, 2020