01/02/2017
I cannot stress enough how nice it is to practice Aikido out of the mat.
Just a couple days ago, a person who must be having a terrible day, enters my car ( I am doing driving while looking for a new work) and immediately starts complaining about the length of time it took for the car to arrive.
I remain quiet..... Next the rider asks that I make an illegal U-turn and gets really mad that I do not attend his request, for obvious reasons. At this point he is already screaming in the car of how bad service I am providing.
I remain quiet but could feel a flush of intense energy coming up.........and the rider continues his tantrum attack when I could not hold any longer and asked him with a very soft voice......
I know it is not the ride.... what made you so mad prior to getting into this car?.......... He, for the first time, remained silent. ..... and silent until the end of the ride.
As he was about to leave the car, he turned around and said..... Sorry for my behavior and thank you for being a nice person. You really had nothing to do with my unfortunates of earlier today. Great ride, good bye.
And so I go for the next one, with a feeling of doing a great Irimi-nage.
Out of the mat......