An Unexpected Lesson...

I nearly panicked. No, let's be honest, I did panic.  The text was incomplete, just part 1 of 4 and it was accusatory. It read, "my Mom really respects what you said but was so hurt because..." and that was it.  That was all that I got.  My head spun and shot immediately to a situation that I should have  handled better, but didn't, and I immediately thought the worst. I quickly melted into a pile of self-doubt and anxiety.  Had I done the right things.  Did I say the right things.  Never put all your faith and trust in a kid.  Never do that.  Who are you?  You're nothing.  They're not committed to you in any way, shape, or form, and they owe you nothing.  Never take sides.  Certainly never express judgement or drive any point home that makes wider any kind of gap that the kid has with their parents or school.  Never do that.  Oh, what were you thinking. Of course you have said something disparaging about someone, or aligned yourself without doing your homework.  Surely you've screwed up on a giant scale.

Nope.  Wrong text. Wrong person.

"Sorry dude.  My phone's screwed.  I just sent you a message that someone sent me.  Sorry."

...and that's what you call a conditioned response or a conditioned reflex.  It's kind of the basis of post traumatic stress, which leads us to another whole discussion.  I react like that a lot.  Makes you wonder doesn't it?  Me too.