Shallow men believe in luck. Strong men believe in cause and effect.” -Ralph Waldo Emerson
My grandmother was a woman of few words but very hardworking and resilient. I remember she once told me “Not to be afraid of being taken advantage of because suffering a loss is a blessing. What you are supposed to receive, Heaven will provide.” I didn’t understand my grandmother’s words at first, but as I grew older and gained life experience, I came to understand her wisdom.
I remember just after graduating from college, a TV company asked me to host a special program. The director of the program liked my writing and asked me to be a scriptwriter as well. However, when the program was finished and it was time to get paid, the director not only didn’t give me the scriptwriting fee but also deducted half of my hosting fee. He handed me a receipt and said, “You should be paid for $1600, but I can only give you $800 because the program is over budget.”
At that time, I didn’t say anything, signed it, and thought to myself, “Revenge is a dish best served cold.”
Later, the director asked me to help him a few more times, and I did.
The last time, he didn’t deduct any money and became very polite to me because by then I had been noticed by the news department of the TV station and suddenly became a TV reporter and news anchor.
We later often met at the company, and he always looked a bit embarrassed when he saw me.
I once thought about telling the boss about what he did to me before, but just as my grandma said, would I have what I have today without him? If I hadn’t held my breath at that time, would I have had the opportunity to continue hosting?
The opportunity was given by him; he was my benefactor. He already knew he was wrong, so why should I retaliate?
Later, I went to study in the United States.
One day, a classmate who had already found a job complained to me about his boss “exploiting” him, not only giving him a low salary but also deliberately delaying his green card application.
At that time, I said to him: Such a bad boss is not worth working for. But you can’t work for free for so long, you have to learn something, then change jobs, so you have to learn secretly.
He listened to my words, and not only worked overtime every day but also stayed behind to memorize the writing of those business documents.
He even took notes on how to repair the copier, standing next to the workers, so that one day when he went out to start his own business, he could save some repair fees.
After half a year, I asked him if he was going to change jobs?
He smiled: No need! My boss now looks at me with new eyes, has been promoted, got a raise, and even asked me why my attitude changed 180 degrees and became so positive?
His dissatisfaction disappeared, he took revenge, but in a different way, and he also reflected on himself, realizing that he was not working hard at the time.
It was about five years ago when I came across an interesting incident.
A friend of mine suddenly took a keen interest in fortune-telling, studying everything from Bazi (Chinese astrology), naming studies, to astrology, all to prove that fortune-telling was a scam.
The reason was that a master had told his fortune, predicting that he would not live past 47. He swore to discredit the master’s reputation. Guess what happened? The more he learned, the more scared he became, because he realized that his own predictions for himself also indicated a short life.
At that point, he changed. He started doing charity work, thinking, “Since I won’t live long, I might as well make the most of the time I have left and do something meaningful.”
He threw himself into it wholeheartedly. Everyone said he had changed, from an anxious and opportunistic petty person to a kind and gentle gentleman.
Unbeknownst to him, he passed 47, then 48, and is now 53, healthy and full of life, healthier than anyone else.
“You can go smash that master’s sign now!” I joked with him one day.
His eyes lit up, and he asked me, “Why?” Then he laughed, “If it wasn’t for his warning, given my previous personality, I would indeed have had a heart attack by the age of 47. He wasn’t wrong!”
My friends, do you like to show off and be ruthless? Are you always harboring grudges? Do you have the resentment of “a gentleman takes revenge; it is never too late”?
Please think about these stories.
You should know that enemies and adversaries can stimulate your potential and become your benefactors.
You should also know that many grudges, grievances, and dissatisfaction actually stem from your own issues.
You should further know that the best revenge in this world is to use that dissatisfaction to propel yourself towards success, and to treat your past enemies with the magnanimity that comes with that success and the success that follows.
Isn’t turning “a cycle of vengeance that never ends” into “a win-win situation where past grievances are forgotten with a smile” the greatest success in life?
Enemies and Foes can Stimulate Your Potential and Become Your Benefactors
Source: FaceBook 臉書 五味人生。回憶裡。尋找
Peace LiLy 