no good deeds

i volunteered my time tonight to help a co-worker learn our new system. and i realize that people just plain hate change. and that i was the messenger of that change. but i was very taken aback by how not very nice to me that she was.

but in my head, i kept regrouping, and i'd smile and try again to help her understand how to do things and patiently answer her rather hostile-toned questions. i tried really hard to understand that when i would furrow my brow to think, she thought i was frowning at her. so i'd smile more. i praised her whenever she did things right and tried to very gently steer her when she didn't.

but still she was nasty.

anyway, the night went on and on. and never really got any better. i felt completely defeated. and so then one of our other co-workers who'd been listening pulled me aside and told me not to take it personally, that this woman was always negative. and that she was being really rude, considering all i was doing was trying to help her. on my own time, to boot.

so that made me feel better.

but you know? it might be awhile before i try to be helpful again. i don't really like being punished for my good deeds.

but the other thing the experience taught me is that i will try really hard not to be negative to other people when they are trying to help me.