Meditation class student /N.L.

Oftentimes we get irritated, vexed, or annoyed because the things we take for granted are no longer there. Our life despite its difficulties is a piece of cake when compared to those living in war-torn regions. There are many things we take for granted without ever giving it a thought and we get upset when those things do not follow our expectations. Like when the internet is not working, the tap water is shut down for service, there are ants in the bathroom, the car gets a nail in the tire, orders from amazon does not get here on time, spouses not putting their dirty laundry in the basket, colleagues gossip about us behind our backs…etc. etc. etc… The fact that we feel entitled to feel irritated, vexed, or annoyed may be we take for granted that our families, friends, and colleagues will tolerate, endure, and bear our moods.

Flexibility, adaptability, and tolerance are great assets in maintaining tranquility. Oftentimes we get upset because we don’t understand why someone does what they do, even if it is the smallest thing. Like “I cannot understand why my roommate keeps the window open! It’s the middle of the winter and we are in Chicago! I’m so upset!” Well, it turns out that the roommate is from Alaska and the middle of the winter in Chicago is like Springtime in her hometown. Whereas if we do understand why a person does certain things, even if it is a bad thing, or even it is a bad person, we can easily let it go. Like the protagonist in a novel, even if he/she is morally questionable, as long as the story is told from his/her perspective, we the readers will have sympathy towards him/her. There are many things in the world which we don’t understand. To get angry and irritated at every such encounter seems like an easy way to wear ourselves out. Practicing a little patience could go a long way to help us avoid all the unnecessary stress.