Veritas1

"Once upon a time there were two monks who had lived together for 40 years and never had a squabble. Not even once. One day, one monk said to the other: "Don't you think it's about time we had a squabble, even if it's just once?" "Sure," replied the other monk. "Let's get started right away. About what shall we squabble?" "About this piece of bread perhaps?" the first monk offered. "Ok, let's have a squabble over this bread. How are we going to go about this?" Asked the other again. "This bread is mine, and mine alone," said the first monk. "Oh yeah? Well you can keep it," said the second monk."

A quote from Anthony de Mello

GracieLou

I read this yesterday and I laughed.

It reminds me of some things I have been going through. Mostly resentments and in some ways wishing some people were different.

I am learning I only do not have the power to change people, or the past, but that guessing what is in someone else's mind or wishing it was different is not only futile but it is really none of my business.

I have to look at it like the second monk. "Oh yeah? Well you can keep it".

In other words I have stop fighting with myself about some thing that is not even a fight to start with. I have made it a fight, not the other person. I have held the resentments, not the other person.

I used to think I liked a good debate (argument) but I was really only fighting with myself because I was not willing to let go. I was the person that was creating the tug of war and keeping the rope going back and forth. I had to let go of the rope.

Veritas1

I had the same experience which led me to post this when I read it yesterday.

Did some work for someone who didn't want to pay me.

Back and forth, wanting to argue with me, making demands of me in order to get paid...so I just let it go, and let her keep her money.

Just not worth fighting over.

I made that decision, and then read this reading and thought...how funny...we are.