Vying for Theakston Glory
1 day ago
The Higher They Climb, The Harder They Fall
Posted on | Tuesday, August 9, 2011 | No Comments
Ok, who am I kidding here? Certainly not myself. Call it wishful thinking that the high and mighty get their just desserts under the super speedy law of karma. But you and I both know it doesn't happen that way in real life.
What am I going on about? Manners. The lack of common courtesy among those who consider themselves the "upper crust" and hence feel they are entitled to be rude to "everyone else". Well, since this is a rant I better make it a good one, I wish them a prosperous fall--because the higher they climb on someone's back (or several backs) to get the higher rung, the harder they fall.
When you're on the receiving end of bad manners, it's easy to feel that there's something not right with you. I've felt it (not today, because I was hopping mad), but in the past. You may question yourself: is it me? Did I say something wrong or not look the way I was supposed to? Did I not wear the right clothes or shoes?
Do yourself a favour. If someone is rude to you, don't offer the other cheek. But do walk away. It's your god-given right to. No human being has the right to demean or demoralise you just because they can. I'm not asking you to run him or her over with your car. I'm saying: experience it and let it go. Buddhism has several teachers who preach the art of letting go. And it works.
I tried this today and I hope it helps you to let go of the unhappiness when something (or someone) throws a spanner in the works. Letting go, according to the late Buddhist monk Ajahn Chah, used the analogy of the flashlight to demonstrate this. He said it is about holding but not clinging:
When we see a flashlight we wonder: "What is this?" So we pick it up: "Oh, it's a flashlight." Then we put it down again. We hold things in this way."
What am I going on about? Manners. The lack of common courtesy among those who consider themselves the "upper crust" and hence feel they are entitled to be rude to "everyone else". Well, since this is a rant I better make it a good one, I wish them a prosperous fall--because the higher they climb on someone's back (or several backs) to get the higher rung, the harder they fall.
When you're on the receiving end of bad manners, it's easy to feel that there's something not right with you. I've felt it (not today, because I was hopping mad), but in the past. You may question yourself: is it me? Did I say something wrong or not look the way I was supposed to? Did I not wear the right clothes or shoes?
Do yourself a favour. If someone is rude to you, don't offer the other cheek. But do walk away. It's your god-given right to. No human being has the right to demean or demoralise you just because they can. I'm not asking you to run him or her over with your car. I'm saying: experience it and let it go. Buddhism has several teachers who preach the art of letting go. And it works.
I tried this today and I hope it helps you to let go of the unhappiness when something (or someone) throws a spanner in the works. Letting go, according to the late Buddhist monk Ajahn Chah, used the analogy of the flashlight to demonstrate this. He said it is about holding but not clinging:
When we see a flashlight we wonder: "What is this?" So we pick it up: "Oh, it's a flashlight." Then we put it down again. We hold things in this way."
Isn't that beautiful? I just wanted to share that with you because I had an encounter of the rude kind today and didn't really feel that much better until I arrived home and read this analogy. Before that I searched my mind, conversations with friends who comforted me and the past for some comfort. All the while it was lying right next to my pillow, in a little book called "A Tree In The Forest" by Ajahn Chah.
So now it doesn't feel that good anymore to curse that person, far from it. I wish the person a good climb, may he land on his nice cushy butt when the time comes. Amen.
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life
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