WISDOM 🪲🪲🪲

Reaction vs. Response

🪲 Suddenly, a cockroach flew from somewhere and sat on her.

I wondered if this was the cockroach’s response to all the glory that was spoken about it! 🪲

She started screaming out of fear. With panic stricken face and a trembling voice, she started jumping, with both her hands desperately trying to get rid of the cockroach. 🪲

Her reaction was contagious, as everyone in her group got cranky about what was happening. The lady finally managed to push the cockroach to another lady in the group. 🪲🪲🪲🪲

Now, it was the turn of the other lady in the group to continue the drama. The waiter rushed forward to their rescue. 🪲🪲🪲

In the relay of throwing, the cockroach next fell upon the waiter. The waiter stood firm, composed himself, and observed the behavior of the cockroach on his shirt. 🪲🪲

When he was confident enough, he grabbed and threw it out with his fingers. 🪲🪲

Sipping my coffee and watching the amusement, the antenna of my mind picked up a few thoughts and started wondering, was the cockroach responsible for their histrionic behavior? 🪲🪲

If so, then why was the waiter not disturbed? He handled it near to perfection, without any chaos. 🪲🪲

It is not the cockroach but the inability of the ladies to handle the disturbance caused by the cockroach that disturbed the ladies. 🪲🪲

I realized even in my case then, it was not the shouting of my father or my boss that bothered me, but I could not handle the disturbances caused by their cry that shocked me. 🪲🪲

It’s not the traffic jams on the road that scares me, but my inability to control the disruption caused by the traffic jam that bothers me. 🪲

More than the problem, it’s my reaction to the problem that hurts me. 🪲

Lessons learned from the story: I understood I should not react. 🪲

I should always respond. 🪲

The women reacted, whereas the waiter responded. 🪲

Reactions are always instinctive, whereas responses are always intellectual… 🪲