Challenge, not Oppression

CHALLENGE, NOT OPPRESSION Edmund Burke, (1729-1797) the Irish writer, statesman and philosopher, once observed that “he that wrestles with us, strengthens our nerves, and sharpens our skill. Our antagonist is our helper.” Saadi Shirazi (1210-1291 CE), the famous Persian poet, has expressed very much the same thought in the form of a parable in his book entitled Gulistan: “Don’t you see, when a cat becomes frustrated, it claws out the eyes of the lion.” Na bini ke chun gorbah aajiz shavad Bar arad ba changaal chashm-e palang Each of these writers has seen something positive in adversity, and implies that neither passivity nor lamentation is fitting response to it. Each, by his words, encourages the sufferer to adopt a positive attitude and to launch himself on a positive course of action when confronted by difficulty or danger. If an incident occurs against you by others, there are two possible reactions. One is to perceive it as oppression, and the other is to see it as a challenge. When viewed as oppression, a mindset of complaint arises, whereas viewing it as a challenge fosters a mindset of competition. A complaining mindset leads a person to believe their only task is to start protesting and accusing the other party. They use all kinds of words to express their discontent. In contrast, a competitive mindset pushes a person toward