It’s a rainy day in the city and the unanimous response is “we need it.” Yes, yes we do. This drought has taken the awkward weather conversation one step-further. We all now bond over how the crops really need water, the fires need to stop and how we want to return to the days of showers longer than 3-minutes.

The rain also brought out a heated confrontation on public transportation between a transgender, legally blind individual (all information this person voluntarily made publicly known) playing “ain’t no sunshine” for all to enjoy or not enjoy and another person who I could not see among the sardine-packed train. What they did agree on was to get off at Van Ness to hash it out. What everyone else agreed on was to embrace the tunes, maybe tap a toe or two to the Beatles now, and get on with their Monday.

What I enjoyed the most was watching people’s reactions to the commute-commotion. Some giggled into their lover’s shoulder, some rolled their eyes, some turned to social media and buried their nose in their phone. It was interesting to me how much energy people put into something that they could not control; most interesting how much energy these two people were putting into being angry at one another.

Was it worth it? At the end of the day, we all have to choose our battles. Maybe for those two on the train and the others who let it affect them, that was their battle of choice. Maybe for another person, a fight with a partner, heart-breaking news to a patient, their own inner demons. It isn’t really up to me to judge what some people choose to fight and what they choose to let go.

When I notice my desire to react to my surrounding, to roll my eyes, or shake my head, what am I really trying to prove and to who? I think it’s much healthier to try in that moment to find the person you want to be even and especially in moments of contention. Reacting to situations out of your control will only get your feathers ruffled. There’s no cheese at the end of the maze for having your opinion written all over your face.

The real triple-cream treat comes by staying true to your best self – on your commute, at work and all the time. If you’re even just trying to be your best, you’re already better off than letting your reactionary self take over.