One thing I have come to understand with life is that challenges will always come. No matter how careful we are, no matter how cautious we are, we can never completely escape difficult moments. There are times when people will step on our toes, provoke us, or try to push us into reacting our limits. There are times when words will be thrown at us, words that sting, words that can easily make us lose our calm if we are not careful.
The question is what do you do in such situations, when someone step on your toes?
I have learned to prepare my mind ahead of time. I try not to be taken off guard by people’s attitudes or sudden reactions. I always have the mind set that anything can happen anywhere, and anyone can step on my toes anytime. So I choose not to respond immediately. I try to stay calm, even when the heat rises.
Just yesterday, something happened at my work place which made me to believe that choosing peace is important. A public transport driver was passing through and needed to pay before moving ahead. I don’t know what happened earlier or who might have upset him before he got to our point, but the moment he arrived, he started shouting. He raised his voice at one of my colleagues who was simply doing his job. He even went as far as calling him a fool.
What surprised me wasn't the driver’s behaviour and approach, but the way my colleague handled the situation. Even with the insults thrown at him, he remained calm. He didn’t shout back, he didn't say a word, he didn’t insult the man back, and he didn’t even react. He simply kept doing what he was supposed to do. After a moment, when the angry man noticed that no one was paying attention to his outburst, he began to calm down on his own. His conscience caught up with him, and he realised he had behaved so badly. He explained that someone had annoyed him earlier and his heart was full of anger, so he unknowingly transferred that aggression. In the end, he apologized and went on his way.
I've been thinking and imagining what would have happened if my colleague had responded with the same anger. The whole atmosphere would have changed. There could have been a fight or a heated argument between them. The situation could have drawn attention and people may gathered, voices might have risen, and what started as a small misunderstanding could have grown into something bigger. But because someone chose peace instead of reaction, everything ended quietly.
That little act of my colleague, made me to think on how we respond to anger. How do we behave when people step on our toes? How do we act when someone speaks to us in a way we do not like? These are questions we need to ask ourselves honestly.
I have seen situations where something very small, something that could have been handled amicably ended up in conflict simply because one of them felt it is necessary to respond otherwise people will see him as a weakly. Just imagine the excuse he gave.
The truth is, not every action deserves a reaction. Not every situation requires us to defend ourselves. Some matters need diplomacy. Some situations require silence. And in many situations the best thing we can do is to think before acting, because calm response can save us from unnecessary trouble.
Life will always test our patience. People will definitely annoy you somehow, misunderstand you, or try to provoke you. But peace is something you give yourself. When you choose peace, you protect your heart and avoid the stress that usually comes with conflict. The truth is, it is not about the other person, it is about the kind of person you want to be. And sometimes, the strongest person in the room is the one who chooses not to react.
Thank you for reading. Greetings!!!!
Choosing peace is the best decision one could ever take, I must say that for sure