Now, picture this:
A man is on his way from wherever he came from. It is a Friday evening, and thank God for it.
All the people and things seem to be in his favor. The dark and heavy cumulus clouds part and magically disappear from view, revealing no signs of rain. There is no episode of the long wait for public transportation, he discovers, as he gets inside the bus. A beautiful lady immediately moves over to give him a seat. And she smiles at him. The man, after a quick fifteen-minute chitchat and exchanging of the numbers with the lady, gets off the vehicle at the exact and accurate block, unlike the past days where the bus only halts when it is already two or three blocks away from his actual stop.
Whistling a lighthearted tune to himself, he walks that familiar path home. The neighborhood dogs don't snarl at him. Cars and motorcycles alike do not seem to have the intention of hitting and killing him. Then, the naturally grumpy sixty-something-year-old grandpa from the corner of the street actually smiles at him, the man swears. Every house's gates or fences look brand new or freshly-painted. That stupid, useless lamppost that didn't work before now shines brightly as if it calls out to him and greets him a most wonderful evening.
Suddenly, the man realizes that the world is such a beautiful place.
"I love the world," he says to himself.
Ah, the joys of coming home, of Friday!
Then, just as he almost breaks down into song and dance, someone -- it could be a bitter, former flame, a classmate, an office mate, or your neighbor-- extraordinarily appears and blocks his way, and tells him something with the one goal of spoiling his Friday evening.
Of course, the statement might vary. It could be any of these:
a. 'You're such a stuck-up."
b. "You're aware of how much of a loser you are, aren't you?"
c. "Your report sucked."
d. "You're lousy in bed."
e. Others, please specify: _____
Now, our main character pauses. Takes in whatever the other person told him. He thinks of the three R's. (It's not reuse, reduce and recycle.)
Must he let someone ruin his perfect, lovely Friday evening? Why, certainly not, he decides. So, he refreshes, relaxes, then reacts.
The man tilts his chin up, looks the other person in the eyes and then smiles. Unknowingly, our main character practically unnerves the antagonist. Then, without hesitation, he walks off and says, "Thanks for taking the time to tell me that. Have a good evening."
That, dear readers, most definitely slays the enemy.
Our man now fits that impatient key inside the keyhole and steps inside his cozy, warm abode. The past debacle is forgotten. Why waste hours over things that do not deserve even the tiniest bit of his time? His date for the night, a queen-sized bed, is waiting for him. He smiles as he tucks himself under the sheets. There is a pillow to put his head on, a blanket to warm his hardworking body, and dreams to motivate even more his promising self. Tomorrow is another day yet to come, with its own set of dilemmas to be wrestled and tackled -- perhaps, a mountain of dirty laundry, weekend projects, assignments or reports, a house in dire need of cleaning, or worse, relatives coming over. The list is endless; the possibilities, infinite.
What exactly is the moral here?
Life may be as dramatic as a Shakespearean tragedy or irritating as an ant bite. As part of every human's complex nature, sorrow and/or irritation quickly comes in and makes themselves feel at home in our minds. But letting these emotions overstay their welcome is man's decision. A man always has the choice to let himself drown in the ocean of misery or fight and struggle to reach the surface. The point is to never let anyone or anything ruin anyone else's Friday. Because it's Friday. Because people deserve a break. But Friday is more than enough reason, for crying out loud!
It is nighttime already. So now, go. Have some sweet dreams and a good night's sleep. More importantly, just get that good night sleep. The man needs it.
We all do.
