Last Friday, I traveled to Bountiful with spoons and napkins for the ice cream social, which would take place after the two featured speakers. The second speaker (the first was from AA, a woman, who told a powerful story of her return to AA and her children’s participation in Alateen) was a man from SLC, Dave B. As he approached the stage I mentioned to Debra that he looked familiar–like someone I worked with at Evans & Sutherland many years ago. Turns out it was him. What a small world! I chatted with him afterward, and he seemed to remember me. My first thought upon recognizing him was the memory that he used to bug the crap out of me. At our staff meetings, he would go on and on about whatever movie he’d seen recently. I was always impatient to cut through the chit chat and get to the point of the meeting. So I focused my anger and frustration on Dave and let it pervade everything about work. That night, while I listened to his story about his troubled childhood, co-dependent relationships, bout with cancer, divorce from his wife, declaration of bankruptcy, and eventual discovery of Al-Anon, I let all of that resentment go. When I talked to him, I knew he was the same guy, with all of the same behaviors and traits as before, but I realized that I didn’t have to hate him any more. What a relief. Now, how can I do this with all the other people in my life?