Why Are Some People So Annoying?

We all have pet peeves. We all get annoyed by things that really
don’t matter much, whether it’s someone chewing with their mouth
open, or someone whispering the Rosary in an Adoration chapel—which
are two things that used to be pet peeves for Fr. Mike. But he
learned a better way to deal with annoyances. Why do we get so
annoyed by such petty things? It’s because being annoyed is a
choice. Fr. Mike tells a quick story about prisoners of war in
Vietnam. They were put in a really small cell where they were so
close together they had to sleep touching each other. The prisoners
came to an agreement that if they were annoyed by something another
prisoner does, the one who is annoyed is the one at fault. This
helped them rise about their situation. There are four possible
choices when you’re annoyed: I can choose to be annoyed. This is
not recommended. I can actively choose to rise above the annoyance
and grow in patience. I can do something about it and let it move
me to positive action. Instead of saying that person annoys me, I
can say that person sanctifies me. Next time you get annoyed, try
numbers two through four.