A short pause for thought and reflection
Written by ANDREW EALES
Have you ever felt ignored, passed over, or even scorned?
Consider these profound words:
“Help others for all the times that you have been ignored;
Be kind to others, for all the times that you have been scorned.”
Deng Ming-Dao
365 Tao Daily Meditations, 206 (Harper Collins, 1992)
These are powerful sentiments, which point towards a wholeness which can be ours if only we respond to life’s disappointments and hurts with wisdom and generosity.
It can seem counterintuitive to be kind when we are scorned, and to help others when we ourselves have been ignored. Shouldn’t we fight back, hold our ground, pursue our own agenda, and put ourselves first?
And yet it is within our nature to have empathy; if we ignore the impulse to do good, we diminish our own humanity. We damage ourselves more than anyone – and more than we can bear.
- Having been scorned we know what it is to be scorned;
- Having been ignored we know what it is to be ignored;
- Unless we have a cruel heart, we will want to spare others such pain.
Notice that Deng isn’t suggesting we be kind to the very people who have slighted us. Rather, the focus here is on our own attitude: foster generosity to ALL who need it.
Such help is not meddling;
nor is it another excuse for self-promotion.
It is simple giving.
Forgive and Forget?
Certainly when we feel hurt we must forgive, if only to protect ourselves from the anger, disappointment and bitterness that do us more harm than anyone else!
When a situation or relationship has been knocked off balance, regardless of the reasons or blame, it can also take patience to wait for more auspicious circumstances so that balance can properly be restored.
Better in my experience to smile, walk away, and forget those who would do us harm; and like the great sage Laozi, to seek anonymity at such times. Not only does this allow us to maintain our own integrity, it negates the influence of those who may seek to diminish us.
And if, in the future, there is a renewed opportunity for friendship, our own commitment to forgive, forget and move on from the past enables us to foster reconciliation.
Giving Back
I am often asked why I devote so many hours every week to writing this site, offering free help to pianists and teachers around the world, rather than simply cashing in on my expertise.
Firstly, I already make a reasonable living as a busy piano teacher, and I am not especially ambitious. But perhaps my desire to give freely here is also in part my own response to those times when I too have been ignored or scorned.
And yet I am equally well aware of the enormous good fortune I have experienced, and the generosity of others towards me.
In short, then, I want to give back in a world where I believe there is so much to celebrate and to share.
But it seems to me that a positive outlook can only be possible if we are willing to let go of the times when we were ignored or scorned, and focus instead on helping others. If I am ambitious at all, it is to become a kinder person.
Whether in our piano journey, or in general life, most of us have experienced times of disappointment, felt wronged, or been told, “you lose”. But the truth is, at such times we stand on the threshold of personal growth, accelerated opportunity, and the chance to truly triumph in life.
