For What It's Worth I

While organizing some of my computer files, I came across the following from about 1995.

Brayden came up to Sue one day and said:  Mom, Shaun said a bad word.

Sue: How bad was it?   Brayden: It was really bad. Sue: Well, what did she say?

Brayden: She said "Tiddlywinks."

 

Quote for the day:

It is said that one day the Buddha was walking through a village. A very angry and rude young man came up and began insulting him, saying all kind of rude words. The Buddha was not upset by these insults. Instead he asked the young man, “Tell me, if you buy a gift for someone, and that person does not take it, to whom does the gift belong?” The young man was surprised to be asked such a strange question and answered, “It would belong to me, because I bought the gift.”  The Buddha smiled and said, “That is correct. And it is exactly the same with your abuse. If you become angry with me and I do not get insulted, then the anger falls back on you. You are then the only one who becomes unhappy, not me. All you have done is hurt yourself.  I do not accept your abuse, keep it for yourself.”

There's several different versions of this story but it is helpful in dealing with people. Don't accept people's anger, don't respond with anger, and don't let it bother you. Angry people are always around and have their reasons.  When I was younger I would get caught up in other people's anger and want to get revenge or respond with anger. It's never worth it to respond this way, or to stew over their anger.   A few years ago when a neighbor put a note on our door about what bad neighbors we are, I took it back over to her and gave it back and told her she was wrong and I wasn't going to accept her note or criticism.