In which I see the need to work on my maturity

My maturity needs work. Lots of work. My first reaction to things I disagree with is an eye roll, which is kind of pathetic.

Act I. Scene 1:
The sun is about to set, G. is racing with about six children at a family gathering at a relative's mazra3a (ranch). AC is a 23 year old woman.

G (yelling): WoooHooo! I'm faster than Bader!
AC: G. you've got to stop running it's almost ma'3rib (sunset).
G: AC you should join our race! Bader's winning all the time.
AC: G. Stop running, its almost ma'3rib.
G (reaching the wall marking the end of the race): What? Ma'3rib? So..?

G calls out for the kids to line up...
G: who's counting down this time? Mohammad count to three...on three everyone start running to the swings...

Kids lining up at the wall. AC walks up and stands in front of the line of children...
AC: Nobody should run it's almost ma'3rib. Jinn come out at ma'3rib and if anyone falls a jinni's gonna possess their body.
G (rolling her eyes): ready, set, go.

G starts running. Kids follow. G finally wins a race.

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In my defense I usually have a lot more respect for people's beliefs. I just hate when people say things that are really scary to children.
I'm open to the idea that there might be other creation sharing this world with us. But I'm not sure I'm completely comfortable with the whole bathroom-lounging, black-cat possessing, exorcism shebang. And I'm sure as hell not going to restrict my life in anyway to avoid "them".


Anyway, after I went inside to pray, AC confronted me about the whole "incident". I had nothing to say really; on one hand I don't want to offend her by saying she's full of crap. On the other, I don't want to question her beliefs which she expects me to share. Afterall, I don't.

She told me it was a hadith from the Prophet.
G: Okay.
AC: What? You don't believe me? Just because I don't know it in full doesn't mean it doesn't exist.
G: Look it up and let me know.
AC (as she walks into a room full of women): Let's ask someone.

I cringe; women in my family are quite superstitious.

Fortunately, a cousin calls my name...so the conversation ended.

I walked out and visited with the gazelles and the donkey (why my relative has a donkey at her ranch is beyond me) just to diffuse the situation.

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This is my family. These are my cousins. This is what they believe. It's always been the same and chances are they're not going to change. Why can't I just learn to deal with it maturely? Either be ready to stand up for my beliefs or just nod and smile (and in this case stop running).

Either way...I need to work on not getting annoyed by the small things.


Today's lesson: When in doubt, smile, nod and sing "I say a little prayer for you".