It has been quite some time since I heard the wise story that I have shared in this blog. I do not remember when or from whom I got to know; however, it stuck in my mind for a long time and became food for thought. I do not recall the exact details of the story, so if you know it, please forgive the modifications I made here due to my memory gaps.
Once upon a time, a beautiful woman named Anna got married. Her husband was a wonderful man; however, the same thing could not be said about his mother. Anna’s mother-in-law lived with the newlyweds and became a real pain over time. Anna could not tolerate her troubles any longer and arrived at a decision. The next day, she paid a visit to the herbalist and asked for any herb that would harm her mother-in-law, causing slow death. The herbalist gave her some green leaves and instructed, “Remember, every morning, add a small dose of these leaves to your mother-in-law’s tea, sit and eat breakfast together. The substance in the herb will work slowly but efficiently kill her. Meanwhile, you must be patient and friendly with her so you will not draw suspicion to yourself”.
A month passed; Anna ran to the herbalist, weeping, “Please, save my Mum! I don’t want her to die. We have become so close to each other!” The herbalist calmed her, saying, “Don’t worry, your Mum will not die. The leaves that I gave you were just green tea leaves, harmless and beneficial to her health.”
Although led by insincere motives, Anna made an effort to be friendly with her mother-in-law. Over time, their relationship improved drastically. Her change of attitude towards her rival resulted in a great change, which made them more amiable and warmhearted with time.
The fact is that we can only influence our behavior; we cannot change the other person. If we feel that there is a lack of amity or kindness in the people whom we collaborate with on a daily basis, especially our peers, we should start to work on our attitude and make an effort to show small signs of goodwill and friendship. A smile, positive words, and casual small talk can perform a miracle over time. It is worth giving it a try!