Do You React Or Do You Respond?

This beautiful story shows the difference between reacting and responding in difficult situations. It teaches the importance of thoughtful responses over impulsive reactions. Enjoy!

At a restaurant, a cockroach suddenly flew from somewhere and sat on a lady.

She started screaming out of fear.

With a panic-stricken face and trembling voice, she started jumping, with both her hands desperately trying to get rid of the cockroach.

Her reaction was contagious, as everyone in her group also got panicky.

The lady finally managed to push the cockroach away but …it landed on another lady in the group.

Now, it was the turn of the other lady in the group to continue the drama.

The waiter rushed forward to their rescue.

In the relay of throwing, the cockroach next fell upon the waiter.

The waiter stood firm, composed himself and observed the behavior of the cockroach on his shirt.

When he was confident enough, he grabbed it with his fingers and threw it out of the restaurant.

Sipping my coffee and watching the amusement, the antenna of my mind picked up a few thoughts and started wondering, was the cockroach responsible for their histrionic behavior?

If so, then why was the waiter not disturbed?

He handled it near to perfection, without any chaos.

It is not the cockroach, but the inability of those people to handle the disturbance caused by the cockroach, that disturbed the ladies.

My beautiful Tewahedo Orthodox sister, this story conveys a powerful message about the value of responding thoughtfully instead of reacting impulsively in life’s challenging situations. We must realize it is not the shouting of a parent, a boss, a stranger or a customer that disturbs us, it’s our inability to handle the disturbances caused by their shouting that disturbs us.

It’s not the traffic jams on the road that disturbs us, but our inability to handle the disturbance caused by the traffic jam that disturbs us.

More than the problem, it’s our reaction to the problem that creates chaos in our life.

Next time you are confronted with difficulties, whether they be personal struggles, professional challenges, or moments of uncertainty, remember to maintain composure and approach the situation with patience and prayer. By doing so, you can steer clear of impulsive reactions. And always remember, “do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good” (Romans 12:21).

Selam Seyoum