What's your reaction to criticisms, harsh comments or bitter words against you? Will you take the company of dejection and grieve for that? Or, will you move away, never permit those voices into your serenity, as you know yourself?
If you directed those questions towards me, until one particular day, I would say 'yes' for the first one, believing that's the only possible way to react to criticisms or harsh words. Now, I have learned and am practising the alternate way of reaction.
Lessons for life are not only delivered from saints but also from the people with us and around us. Wisdom for life reaches us in an unexpected moment and amazes us as well as shows us a new perspective. It reached me on a winter afternoon in my office.
On that day, while working in our office, me and my teammate had a conversation about our work. At one point in our conversation, I remarked instantly but not deliberately, "You are a sadist, Sir." When the realisation of the statement I said hit me, it was too late to freeze or demolish my words, as they had been uttered and reached his ears. He didn't react or oppose my words but continued to do his work. An instant guilt caught me and so I apologized to him immediately, but his reply was what took me aback. He replied with a smile, "I wasn't hurt by your words, because I'm not a sadist and I know that." Wow! Simple, isn't it? A great lesson in a mere uncomplicated statement.
Most of the time, when we are hurt by others, we wrestle within ourselves and lose our peace by constantly nagging ourselves with the question, "How could they say these things about me?" But, on that day I realized the power of self-realization and the essence of self-love. Knowing ourselves is the greatest gift we can give to us. When we know ourselves whose opinion do we need? We just need to be true to ourselves alone, no need to worry about and accept the buzz about us.
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