Agenda-itis

One of the common frustrations I have is how many times I have to repeat myself to get a desired result, if I'm lucky.  My commute this morning, however, taught me to be a little more patient with kids.  Upon reaching Union Station, our conductor announced over the intercom that people in the last car needed to step away from the doors so that he could close them.  A minute later, the same announcement accompanied by the threat of deboarding the train if he couldn't close the door.  A minute later, the same announcement and threat with the demand that nobody try to enter or exit the train while he tries to close the door.  At that point a man entered our car, was booed out, then got caught in the door while trying to exit.  The final announcement, "This train is now out of service.  Everyone must exit."  The passengers groaned and piled out onto the platform to await the next train.  Finally, when the next train arrived people packed in as before, and as the doors were closing a woman's backpack got caught in the door.  That's when I decided to walk the rest of the way to work.  After today, the slowest learners I've ever seen are adults driven by their agenda to the exclusion of anyone else's, not to mention the angriest.  How many people have to get stuck in the door before they learn not to pack into the train like that?  It's also true at home.  When my wife or I have agenda-itis, you can be sure we will be slow to listen to each other or the kids and there will be some drama.