OVERLOOKING
I naturally tend to listen carefully to everyone and try to learn from what they say. The benefit of this is that I always gain something useful from each person—an experience or insight that proves beneficial.
Once, while I was in a village, I overheard two men talking. They were friends, but one harboured a grievance against the other. He kept repeating his complaint over and over. The other man tried hard to solve the issue, but when he saw that the grievance wouldn’t end, he finally said: “Let us set this matter aside and live together as before.”
At first, this seems like a simple statement. In reality, it holds a great secret of life. No two people are ever exactly alike. Just as no thumbprint matches another, each person differs in thought, feeling, and preferences. The question is: how can someone live a pleasant life in society amid such differences?
The answer is simple. When disagreement comes up, try to resolve it. If it can’t be resolved, both parties should agree to set it aside and not argue anymore.
This principle applies everywhere—at home and outside, with your own people and with strangers. In this world, there is no simpler formula for a peaceful life.
Since everyone thinks differently, it is impossible to force others to fully adopt your way. Differences are natural; they will never go away. Trying to eliminate them only causes more problems, not peace.
The practical approach is this: set aside grievances and keep living in harmony. Everyone has traits that you might dislike, but they also have qualities that shouldn’t cause complaints. Learn to distinguish between the two. Once you do, you’ll realize that the other person is just as normal as anyone else.
In this world, we are forced to live together. A life of isolation isn’t possible. Whenever people live or work side by side, conflicts will naturally happen. The only way forward is to overlook the conflicts and build a life based on what is free from complaints.
Overlooking is not a sign of weakness; it reflects a higher principle of life. It is the approach taken by those who set ambitious goals. In this world, only those who overlook unpleasantness can move forward. Those who cannot get past it remain stuck and never reach their destination.
