If something ever pains you

[haab]

.... give patience the chance to heal your soul. Here is a very short story that may change some of your perceptions in dealing with unexpected things that may cause you to feel the fire of pain. Written by Steven Covey, author of "The 7 habits of highly effective people".


I remember a mini-paradigm shift I experienced one Sunday morning on a subway in New York. People were sitting quietly - some reading newspapers, some lost in thought, some resting with their eyes closed. It was a calm, peaceful scene.

Then suddenly, a man and his children entered the subway car. The children were so loud and rambunctious that instantly the whole climate changed.

The man sat down next to me and closed his eyes, apparently oblivious to the situation. The children were yelling back and forth, throwing things, even grabbing people's papers. It was very disturbing. And yet, the man sitting next to me did nothing.

It was difficult not to feel irritated. I could not believe that he could be so insensitive as to let his children run wild like that and do nothing about it, taking no responsibility at all. It was easy to see that everyone else on the subway felt irritated, too. So finally, with what I felt was unusual patience and restraint, I turned to him and said, " Sir, your children are really disturbing a lot of people. I wonder if you couldn't control them a little more?"

The man lifted his gaze as if to come to a consciousness of the situation for the first time and said softly, "Oh, you're right. I guess I should do something about it. We just came from the hospital where their mother died about an hour ago. I don't know what to think, and I guess they don't know how to handle it either."

Can you imagine what I felt at that moment? My paradigm shifted. Suddnely I saw things differently, and because I saw differently, I thought differently, I felt differently, I behaved differently. My irritation vanished. I didn't have to worry about controlling my attitude or behaviour; my heart was filled with the man's pain. Feelings of sympathy and compassion flowed freely. "Your wife just died? Oh, I'm sorry! Can you tell me about it? What can I do to help?" Everything changed in an instant.


You may add more beneficial short stories.

[Basra-]

Compassion is very important. Thanks for sharing.

[LoveandLight]

Thank you.

[TheLoFather]

Compassion: Humanity at it's best.

[AgentOfChaos]

lolwut?

[LeJusticier]

20 years ago in Abu-dhabi I beat the living shit out of wrong man. Leter, I found out he was the wrong guy but it was too late because I left Abu-dhabi for qaxooti to europe. I just felt so bad and feel so bad until now. I have spent time and energy to find Him out, but in vain. However, the incident had bigger behavioural change in my life.