WHEN REVENGE DOES NOT SOLVE THE PROBLEM

12 days ago

There are times when we feel the urge to take revenge thinking it will solve the problem or make us feel better. Yet most times revenge does not give the satisfaction we expect. I remember one particular incident back then when I was still young.

It was one afternoon in the compound where we lived. The boy I am talking about loved rough play especially running along the corridor. It was one of those face me I face you apartments with a long corridor and rooms facing each other. In such a house if you step out with food or hot water and someone bumps into you everything will spill on the floor. So anyone walking in that corridor had to be very careful to avoid problems.

On that day I stepped out of our room on my way to the kitchen outside. The boy ran out of their room and hit me. He quickly told me sorry and I accepted his apology. I warned him not to run again to avoid hitting me or injuring himself. He agreed. Not up to three minutes later I saw him running again back to their room. I warned him that if he hit me again I would beat him. Soon after I stepped out once more and he was still running. In an attempt to dodge me and give way his hand pressed my right hand against the rough wall. I checked and saw that I was injured. He kept shouting sorry sorry sorry. I was very angry because I had already warned him. Out of anger I grabbed his hand and rubbed it on the rough wall. He also got injured. He became calm and I left him.

A few minutes later guilt started troubling me. I called him to our room and brought out our methylated spirit to give him first aid. He thanked me and we moved on. What surprised me was that his wound healed in less than two weeks and left no scar. Mine took about three weeks to heal and till today I still have the scar on my hand. From that day I learned that revenge does not solve anything. It only adds to the problem. Since then I have chosen to avoid issues that may lead to revenge and instead find peace in letting go and peacefully minding my business for my sanity.