my powerful rightness

      Some weeks ago at a restaurant, I asked the waitress if the fried haddock sandwich could be broiled instead. She said yes. Later, she came back for our order. When the food arrived, I got a fried haddock sandwich.

     “This is fried,” I said to my friend. “I ordered broiled.”

     My friend said, “You ordered fried.”

     “No,” I said. “I ordered broiled. I never order fried.”

     “I know,” she said. “I was surprised when you ordered fried.”

     I was shocked by how much I wanted to be right – even about a fried haddock sandwich.

     Since then, I’ve been experimenting with “maybe you’re right.” I feel a lot lighter when I’m not carrying around my powerful rightness.

“Free me from . . . my powerful rightness.” A Benedictine prayer

“Set me free that I may give thanks. . . .” Psalm 142:7