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A "Disaster" of the use of the word.


dis·as·ter

   [dih-zas-ter, -zah-ster]  Show IPA
noun
1.
a calamitous event, especially one occurring suddenly and causing great loss of life, damage, or hardship, as a flood,airplane crash, or business failure.



I don't think there is anything at this moment that perplexes as much as when someone is using the word "disaster" in context that doesn't even remotely measure up to the word. 

I currently work in a customer service based position for a shoe retailer. My job is fun and I thoroughly enjoy my interactions with customers, but sometimes there are customers who are a tad bit over dramatic.

The other day a customer came into the store with clouds over her head, huffing about how what she purchased was not what she wanted and her experience was a complete "disaster". So I proceeded to listen and understand where she was coming from but I too realized I had something looming over head. I could not pass up the fact that she used the word "disaster" to describe her experience with a materialistic item.

I quickly put my personal thoughts in the drawer and kindly helped the customer and she was on her way with her money but still disgruntled. I am sure there are many factors that attributed to her feelings about her experience, but was it so bad that it was the end of the world to her? Was everything she had wiped away from her in mere seconds due to a natural disaster like those recently in the Philippines? Did she lose loved ones over her purchase? No I don't think so.

I digress, I appreciate her attempt to provide business to us as her purchases help provide my paycheck. However, the thing I appreciate the most about this customer is that she helped me realize that there is no reason to fret over the little things and to choose my words wisely when I describe my experience with certain situations.




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