Nails and scars

Ammu sent me this long time back and you might have seen this too many times, but the message is worth it. Here it goes...

Once upon a time there was a boy with a very difficult character. His parents got worried that if his temper tantrums continued, he would never find peace in relationships. So, one day, his father gave him a bag full of nails and told him to drive one nail into the garden fence every time he loses his patience and/or has an argument with someone. The first day the boy drove 37 nails in the garden fence.

In the following weeks, the boy learns to control himself and the number of nails driven into the fence gets lower every day: The boy discovers that it is easier to learn to control himself than to hammer nails in the fence. At last, the day comes when the boy does not drive any nails into the garden fence. Then he goes to his father and tells him that today he did not need to hammer any nails.

His father then tells the boy to take one nail out from the fence for every day he succeeds in controlling his temper and not losing his patience. Many days pass and finally the boy can tell his father that he has taken all nails out of the fence.

The father takes his son to the fence and tells him: "My son, you have behaved well, but look how many holes you have left in the fence. It will never be the same again. When you have an argument with someone and abuse them, you leave them with wounds like these ones in the fence. You can stab a man and then take the knife out, but you will always leave a wound. It does not matter how many times you say sorry, the scars will stay. A wound caused by words hurts just as bad as a physical wound.

Next time around you are ready to lose your temper on your loved ones, colleagues or anyone else, please be mindful of the scars that you may leave behind.