Reaction vs Reponse

This story is close to my heart, not just because it teaches a great lesson, but what it teaches can solve a lot of chaos happening around us. 

Daily, I saw people shouting over one issue or another happening around them. If we become responsive to the problem instead of reactive, it may become an opportunity. Applying lateral thinking is a response to a situation, and logical thinking is a reaction. Let's see more about this.

Story -

Once a merchant was not able to pay back the debt to the moneylender. The moneylender, who was an old and cunning guy, fancied the merchant's beautiful girl and found an opportunity to make a deal with the merchant.

He offered a marriage proposal, if accepted, he will forgo the debt. Else the merchant will be thrown into the jail. To tempt the merchant, he told further - "I will ask your daughter to pick a pebble out of black and white from a bag. If she will pick the black one, she will marry me. And if she will pick the white one, she need not marry me. In both situations, debt will be forgiven. If she will not pick a pebble, then you will be thrown into the jail."

Having no choice, the merchant and her daughter agreed. When the merchant was putting the pebbles into the bag, the girl observed that the merchant played a trick. He put two black pebbles, instead of one black and other white, into the empty bag. And nobody apart from her noticed it.

The girl now had to definitely loose. If she proves that the moneylender is a cheater, then her father can be sent to jail as a revengeful event. If she will play, the pebble she will take out is always black.  

If you or I would have been there, we could have panicked. But she didn't lose the hope. She thought for some time and saw an opportunity there. 

When the time came to pick one pebble out of the bag, she hid the pebble while taking out and slowly slipped the pebble from her palm onto the road full of pebbles. In such a quick moment, nobody noticed the actual colour of pebble. Now the only option left was to check the other pebble colour and decide.

And we all know now if she will pick out the other pebble, then who will win.

Adversity can be bad. But by not losing hope and keeping the mind open for opportunities could divert such situations in your favour. Never lose hope, don't be reactive, take time, observe the situation and apply the lateral thinking. You may come out as a real champion.