Self Control

I went to the gym on Friday, to my favorite Taeboot class with the awesome German teacher, Karin. I love this class. It actually makes me want to come to the gym! The only thing I don't like about it is people coming in late and shoving their body where it just doesn't fit. This class usually has at least 30 people crammed in it and there is never room for late comers. So, I always plan my Monday, Wednesday, Friday mornings with a few minutes to spare...I refuse to be one of THOSE people.
And so on Friday, when it was rainy and my daughter couldn't walk to school and I needed to drive her, I rushed into class about 30 seconds after the music started and slid into a spot that seemed to be waiting for me. But it was actually waiting for someone else. And she let me know when she came in running in the door a few minutes later. "You are in my spot," she said, frantically yelling over the too loud music. I just looked at her in disbelief, thinking 'her spot?!' She repeated that I was in her spot and it was obvious that my moving over a few inches hadn't been enough to get out of "her spot".
So, I moved over between some other fast moving people who didn't seem to mind and spent the next hour thinking of my options, while I pumped my weights and kicked and punched.
I thought of things I could say to her, like "I hope I look as good as you when I am that old" and "everyone watchout, that's her spot, don't get in her way". But then, I thought the right thing to do would be to happily wish her a nice day when we were through. And mean it. That was my plan. But immediately after class she hurried over to me and gave me a sweaty hug. She said she was so sorry and she wasn't like "that". She said she was tired of people taking advantage of her and that she hated it when people came in late and that she had tried to save her spot while she went to the bathroom before class. I was so grateful for my self conrol! That I had held my tongue and not said anything rude or hurtful. This was one lesson learned the easy way, with no apologies needed on my part. So next time I see someone running into class late, I will be a little less judgemental...maybe they had to take someone to school...or go to the bathroom.