Express Train

Express Train

Shoshana Schwartz

You’re running late to work. In your hurry, your coffee spills just as you hear the crunch of your child’s favorite mentchie underfoot. Then, of course, you hit traffic.

Rationally, you may be able to put this into perspective almost immediately. People are late. Things spill. Toys break. Civilization survives. You may even be able to put the reactions that will happen later — such as your boss’s face or your child’s tantrum — into perspective.

But your emotions clearly don’t get the memo. You know none of these incidents are a big deal, but your nervous system has decided this is a five-alarm fire, and it has already pulled the alarm without consulting you.

And then, on top of being late, anticipating disapproval or criticism, and dealing with a Florida-shaped coffee stain that keeps reminding you where you’d rather be, you face an additional barrage of criticism from yourself, as in, Really, what’s the big deal? Just put it into perspective already!