Sharing Space Gracefully

I have had a few awkward social experiences in the last couple months, and my understanding of why they were awkward is a gift of age. I am at an age where it doesn't matter to me how nice someone "appears" or how generous they appear...what matters to me most is how gracefully they handle the differences between us and how patiently they handle what they view as unacceptable. This comes into play in so many ways, but it is usually brought about by spending time with me AND my children and the chaos we bring. It can also be brought about by talking about religion and politics, but that is another beast entirely. Only grace - profound kindness even in the midst of that which bewilders you; unravels you, and/or makes you happy that you live at YOUR house and not theirs - is going to affect a soul positively. I think that everyone can master their body language and what comes out of their mouth. Of course, I will live what I preach here, and I will willingly spend time in the presence of those who wear our differences in their body language; their facial expressions, and even those who just boldly come out and say that they would do "it" differently, applying that they would do it "better." I will continue to share space with people like this, when I must, so that maybe they will notice something in the way I control myself, as I struggle to deal with THEM. :o) However, I am not so far along that this type of interaction does not EXHAUST me. I leave these interactions completely spent. I aspire to be at a place in my soul that when I am around a caustic person, I have enough patience, joy, and grace to remain unaffected and to leave unaffected. I know people like that, and I want to be one of those people