The Stinkeye

You know the look- the stinkeye?  It's the look someone gives you when she is less than pleased with your behavior.  For instance, I got the stinkeye from someone just a couple days ago because I was taking too long at the Redbox.  And truth be told, the Redbox is the place I'm probably most likely to give someone else the stinkeye!

This summer, while away at my uncle's funeral, my kids were playing in the hotel pool with their cousins.  Having fun, playing tag, splashing and being loud as kids are apt to do at a pool.  They had the pool to themselves and were taking full advantage.  After awhile, another family enters the pool with considerably younger kids who, judging by the arm floaties and sewn-in lifejacket/swimsuits, are not as used to the pool as our kids.  These new kids are accompanied by their parents- who are both in the pool- and their grandma, who is not in the pool but is content to stand with her walker and give my kids the stinkeye.  And then look at her family and mumble (I am sure her mumbles started with "Can you believe . . .).  And then turn back to my kids and give them the stinkeye.  And then mumble.  And she repeated the process for several minutes, until I couldn't take it any longer, and decided to give her my stinkeye. 

Except I didn't turn away when my staring became noticeably uncomfortable.  I just continued to glare at her. 

She finally relented, and I could tell from the looks and susequent conversations of the parents with her, that they could tell I wasn't pleased with her nonverbal response to my kids and things got better.  I had won. 

And yet I had lost.  Because here's the thing- after listening to Pastor Doug's great message this past Sunday about loving others (which you can find here)- I sure fall short way too often in that area.  I think I do a good job of loving others, but really all it takes is one stinkeye from someone, or getting cut off in traffic by someone, or someone working customer service who could give a rip about their job and serving me, and I forget all about loving others and blessing those who persecute me and go right back to the worldly ways of revenge and defense and stinkeyes.

Yuck.