The other night I was meeting with a sponsee whom I meet with weekly at a coffee shop to guide them through step 4.  I was running a few minutes late and was anxious to get there.   As I get closer to the place I see an open parking spot in front which is nothing short of a miracle.  I was about to pull in when I noticed a man standing in the parking spot with his arms folded and his head shaking from side to side not letting me park there, his body language not very kind.  I said to myself, hummm I did not realize one reseserves public parking spots.  So this person shook their finger at me to park across the street.  In my head I heard, don't sweat the small stuff so I did.  

I get out of my car walk across the street into the store and the man said in a short tone, I cant have you park there, my car broke down and I need a jump.  I told him cheerfully, I don't sweat the small stuff and that I was sorry his car broke down.  I hope your friend comes soon.    To which he replied, thanks for understanding, I've been standing her for an hour.

It is 108 degrees where I am and this man is standing outside waiting for a friend to jump his car.  Would it not be for a HP putting that thought into my head, I really would have given that man an earful, thereby giving my serenity away.  If I had done that I believe I would not have been truly able to really be of service to my sponsee in this program. 

So it all boils down to perspective.  We are human, we don't mean to hurt one another.  If I maintain my spiritual condition as a result of working the steps on a daily basis, I am less likely to react and personalize someone elses stuff.