Silence is a lie that screams at the light.
The city outside, so busy, so full of life, seemed in stark contrast to the deathly silence inside their home. It seemed...like a muffled silence, as if the house itself was holding its breath, waiting...
Not reacting with anger, but responding with compassion and equanimity, is a personal choice. Particularly so, in an explosive situation, when someone is provoking you, by trampling all over your self-esteem. How can you employ compassion when someone is spewing venom? Well, if you observe their behavior closely, someone causing you pain and anguish is actually suffering a lot within themselves. Their thoughts and actions are only reflecting their distressed state of mind. They surely know not what they are doing. So, respond β donβt react β with compassion. Ahimsa is not just non-violent action. It includes non-violent thought as well. Respond with ahimsa β thatβs the best way to disarm your βopponentβ! When you leave the other party guessing, as to why you are not striking back, you have won the battle without even fighting it. Isnβt that a great way to be protect your inner peace and profit from it?
They want us to be afraid. They want us to be afraid of leaving our homes. They want us to barricade our doors and hide our children. Their aim is to make us fear life itself! They want us to hate. They want us to hate 'the other'. They want us to practice aggression and perfect antagonism. Their aim is to divide us all! They want us to be inhuman. They want us to throw out our kindness. They want us to bury our love and burn our hope. Their aim is to take all our light! They think their bricked walls will separate us. They think their damned bombs will defeat us. They are so ignorant they donβt understand that my soul and your soul are old friends. They are so ignorant they donβt understand that when they cut you I bleed. They are so ignorant they donβt understand that we will never be afraid, we will never hate and we will never be silent for life is ours!
Whatever negative things people think and say about you is enough to bring you down provided you belief that it carries a weight that can push you hard. Don't agree to accept what critics say; be prepared to silence them by doing what they think you can't do!