"I DON'T LIKE CONFRONTATION!"
Last night my husband took 3 phones calls that took up 2 hours of his evening trying to reason with a very highly disgruntled ex-tenant. I say Chad did this because while I am just as capable of reasoning and explaining contracts and policies and he is, my body is not. When I get yelled at and cussed at for reasons only the offender can concoct, I shake..physically and uncontrollably, I shake. And while my voice stays strong and my resolve remains untouched, my poor body queasily shakes and shivers.
We do a lot of listening because when someones angry that's normally one of the only ways to get them back to "normal logical human" status. Chad did an amazing job as he always does, he kept his cool, was extremely professional and considered all of their reasoning.
The cussing and the yelling normally stops at this point and more productive language can be used to address the issue. However, I can't tell you how many times I have sat outside the bedroom door trying to listen to every word being said, always being on defense and hoping that Chad and I have done everything we can to make the issue resolvable. It hurts my heart, I feel physically sick, it stresses me out and I'll do it when I have to but I'm so glad I have a husband willing to take that load off of me. I think he knows how much it affects me (thus they locking himself in the back room in hopes I won't let it get to me) and I'm seeing that it's starting to affect him more.
It used to be almost a useful tool, he'd have one of these rough conversations and then hit the gym, all that pent-up aggression made for a great work out, but as he's become a little more sensitive over the past few years, I know it hurts his heart too now.
It hard to think that there are people out there that would talk to someone they hardly know as though they despise their very existence. Lying, cursing and screaming all the way, never thinking about how their actions may have affected someone else. Pride really is a very destructive tool of the adversary.
This job has given us experiences that if you were to have asked me if I could handle this 2 years ago I would have laughed in your face. But being put in these real life situations and dealing with real, sometimes difficult people, I've been amazed at Chad and I's abilities. We are growing so much and learning from our mistakes (because yeah, we're still making those all the time). I'm so excited to be a mom and thats truely what I want for the rest of my life but I feel especially blessed to have the experience of working with my husband right now.
Working as a co-manager with your spouse is not easy. You think marital disagreements are rough, but try work problems, when you go home to vent to your spouse, but they're part of the work problem. It's a very difficult dynamic sometimes but it's been priceless. I think of this issue we are currently dealing with and the stress it puts on us both individually and as a couple and I am so happy to say that while it's still hard, its getting easier! He still has to bite his tongue when I'm not doing things the way he's like and I still fight my tendency to micromanage his tenant correspondence, but we're getting better!
I get to live, laugh, learn, cry, pray, and even WORK with my best friend. and I know it's only for a little while longer so weeks like this week, filled with stress and work, I find a little time to be grateful for the best co-worker in the world, who always has my back and makes my job enjoyable!
Conclusion: My job stresses me out sometimes, some of our tenants need a good mom and a rude awakening, but I can face anyone and resolve any issue with my favorite co-worker by my side.
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