THE WISE COUNSEL

 THE WISE COUNSEL

In the serene, quiet confines of his study, Brother sat with his young disciple, Scott, as he bared his anguish at being betrayed and wronged by some seniors in his line of work. Brother offered his timeless wisdom on how to deal with someone who has wronged us.

 

“Dear Scott, remember that how others treat you reflects their upbringing and insecurities. But you can always control your reaction. Their behaviour has nothing to do with you. It is not an insult to your worth or character but an indication of their petty minds.”

 

He paused, allowing the weight of his words to settle, before continuing, “Instead of seeking revenge, Scott, forgive them. For in forgiveness, you free yourself. Anger and bitterness are slow poisons that can consume you. Release the hurt and betrayal, and choose to forgive."

 

Scott nodded and listened attentively as Brother continued, “Their actions may be due to hate, envy, jealousy, prejudice, misunderstanding or unmet needs. But remember, when you forgive, it does not mean you forget but seek to understand with compassion and empathy.”

 

Brother placed his hands on Scott’s shoulders and said, “But you should set clear boundaries about what you will tolerate in the future. You should say a firm no to more foul play and manipulation. When you set clear boundaries, you might lose out on a lot of people, but it is essential for your self-preservation. You cannot let people walk all over you. It should be clear to the wrongdoers that enough is enough, and this is where you draw the line.”

 

Brother’s words deeply resonated with Scott and gave him a lot of clarity on dealing with the problem. He felt the world's weight had been removed from his shoulders. He was now armed with the wisdom to navigate the complexities of human relationships a lot better.