I was sitting in front of two couples while flying to Canada tonight. I was just finishing some work and I heard it, and I cringed.
Wife of 1st couple: “I think that’s our house isn’t it?” <in curious voice tone>
Husband of 1st couple: “Nope that’s not it” <in a very matter of fact kind of tone>
Wife of 1st couple: “I think it is, I really do” <earnest voice>
Husband of 1st couple: “No way, I’m a pilot and know my directions cold and where we are at. Look we are going to start
banking now to prepare for decent” <exerting his authority as the expert>
Wife of 2nd couple: “we must be near York”
Husband of 1st couple: “nope, there’s no way. I’m very certain of this” < stating himself as the expert>
Wife of 1st couple: “let her say what is on her mind, she might be right” <clearly perturbed at hubby for acting as the lone expert>
I found the exchange humorous but grating. Actually it started humorous then grew to grate on my nerves and it made me think. Sometimes, it’s just better to get along than to be right. Some people (both men and women) have a tendency to want to be the expert - to be right. It’s nice to be right. I used to like being right all the time - then I found out I was actually only right half the time, the other times people were just humoring me.
Did it really matter if we were over York, or Peel or Saskatchewan? If we were in the pilot seat, yeah it’d matter a ALOT! But we weren’t. So maybe it’s not such a big deal if we don’t get our way all the time, if maybe we just say “Hey maybe we are over York”. You might be wrong, but it might make things just a little nicer for the other person (unless of course it’s the pilot!)
No comments
Comments feed for this article