50. Upset, Empty Boats and Newspapers

There is no point in being upset just because other people choose to be the way they are. A wise man was asked how it was possible for him to remain calm, still, peaceful and happy despite the bad behaviour he could see all around him and his reply was that he used to get angry until one day while rowing his boat he was bumped by another boat. He turned in anger to reprimand the other boatman for his carelessness and saw that the boat was empty. He had a moment of realisation and then resolved to treat everyone like an empty boat from then on in. You can do the same thing right now. Another wise man walking near his home with a student stopped to buy a newspaper from the local kiosk. The newspaper seller threw the newspaper at him together with his change. The student who revered his teacher was outraged and was about to strike the vendor when the teacher restrained him saying "He is alway like that." The student, still angry said "Why do you continue to give him the business then, he clearly doesn't deserve it ?" The teacher replied "Why should I let someone else's ignorant behaviour dictate how I do things ?"