Let me tell you about my friend Mike. I think if you asked him if we are friends he would chuckle first and then say yes as I would. Why the laugh? Well because Mike and I actually butt heads a lot. And I mean A LOT! He is very laid back which I am sure is not in any way shape or form a way someone would describe me but I seem to bring out the “debate” in Mike. Which was absolutely true today.

I only saw him briefly and before you knew it we were debating something that quite honestly didn’t affect us at all which only adds to the goofiness of why he and I would debate so heatedly. I walked away with my usual stop talking to me Mike.

When I cam back to where he was sitting, you guessed it…Ding! Ding! round 2. Now oddly enough I wasn’t expecting it and off we went again. I do have to say no curses were dropped but there was a couple “don’t put words in my mouth” and “don’t underestimate me because I am a woman.” I finally said to him – “why are you always so condescending and rude to me?” And as before walked away.

Here we go, folks, round 3 or so I thought. When I came back into the area where my friend Mike was he said, “Tracie come here.” I could see on his face that we were going to have a much softer conversation. This is what I like about my friend Mike. He said, “I don’t ever want to be rude to you and I am sorry.” Mike chose to turn towards me in our differences and I greatly appreciated the fact that he apologized. I apologized to him and the rest of the time was nice.

We always have the choice to turn towards each other in a dispute or disagreement or keep the battle going. In other words, turn towards someone to mend and heal or turn away to keep the battle going which usually means someone is trying to be “right” about something.

As I am moving through this latest transition in my life I am finding my diplomacy slipping. My emotions are all over the place and the need to say I am sorry more often than not. I am thankful for this dispute that I had with my friend Mike because HE reminded me that friendships are priceless and it costs me absolutely nothing to turn towards someone and say “I’m sorry.”

I am also more than ever determined to stop debating with Mike! Now how unpredictable is that? Stay safe everyone!