[I copied this from the Random thread, because I liked what I wrote.]
If someone insults me or disagrees with me, I either have two options: 1) get sad or depressed, feeling that I've let that person down or that I'm not worth anything, or 2) do nothing.
The second option is very Zen. Here's a story about the Buddha. One day, the Buddha was doing his daily rounds through a town he was visiting, and he quickly attracted a large crowd who strongly disagreed with his teachings. They yelled and screamed in his face and even physically tried to retaliate, but the Buddha said calmly, "If you are done, please let me pass by. There is another town I wish to visit today." The stunned townspeople watched in disbelief as the Buddha walked on, completely confused as to why he did not react.
A Zen master once told one of the best pieces of advice to his students: "I do not mind what happens."
It happened: A wise man in a village won the lottery, and gained a small fortune. The townspeople said, "How wonderful. This must be the best thing that ever happened to you." The wise man said, "Maybe." The wise man bought a car with the money, and one day as he was driving, he crashed and was seriously injured. The townspeople visited him in the hospital and said, "How terrible. This must be the worst thing that ever happened to you." The wise man said, "Maybe." That night, an earthquake occurred fairly near the town, and the tremors destroyed the wise man's house. The townspeople said, "How wonderful. This must be the best thing that ever happened to you." The wise man said, "Maybe."
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Quote:
"A memory is something that has to be consciously recalled, right? But it's different from a memory locked deep within your heart. Words aren't the only way to tell someone how you feel...As long as I'm with you, as long as you're by my side, I won't give up even if I'm scared." Tifa Lockheart, Final Fantasy VII