Choices

When Life throws you a curve ball
How do you respond?
Do you try to retaliate
Or rise above and beyond?

Despite what you think
You do have a choice.
Show by your actions
and the use your voice.

When I was working, I had a good friend who often elected to laugh rather than get upset when something went wrong. I was amazed at her ability to not get angry under circumstances that had me going. Although she could have a red-headed temper if provoked, she elected not to respond that way on many occasions. Often we can choose how we will respond to provocation.

I once was ambushed by another employee who accused me of things of that were more a figment of his imagination than things that actually happened. Since I was dumbfounded by what was going on, I let him rant and ramble without comment. The longer his outburst lasted the less plausible it sounded. By my saying nothing, he did himself more harm than if I had stopped his monologue by trying to defend myself.

For me, both of these were learning experiences that we can choose how we respond and some responses produce better results than others.

How will you choose?