Safe Harbour On Both Sides

Success Is in Your Hands And many people, unable to bear this invisible wound, end up making destructive choices. But if a person learns to tolerate the wounds inflicted by words, they remain calm. They do not lose their presence of mind and are, as a result, in a much better position to solve their problems wisely. In fact, this patience often becomes the very key to achieving what they wanted—something they would never have gained through reaction or anger. Here’s a powerful example from history: Booker T. Washington, a respected African-American leader in the United States, once needed to catch a train. He left home in a hurry and rushed onto the street to find a carriage. He spotted a horse cart and said to the driver, “I’m running late. Please take me to the station as quickly as possible.” The driver looked at him and replied coldly: “I’ve never driven my cart for a black man—and I’m not going to start now.” Without a trace of anger, Booker Washington calmly said, “That’s fine. You can sit in the back—I’ll drive the cart.” Hearing this, the driver was shocked. Silently, he got into the back seat. Booker took the reins, drove the cart to the station, and caught his train.