Once upon a time, a wise Hindu saint went to the river Ganges to take a bath. As he walked along the banks, he noticed a family shouting loudly at each other. Curious, the saint turned to his disciples and asked them, “Why do people shout when they’re angry?”
His disciples pondered for a moment. One of them replied, “Maybe because they lose their calm and can’t control their emotions.”
The saint smiled and nodded. “But why shout when the person you’re angry with is right next to you? Wouldn’t it be better to speak softly?” he questioned.
The disciples tried to come up with other answers, but none satisfied the saint. So, he decided to explain it to them.
“Imagine two people who are very angry with each other,” the saint began. “Their hearts are filled with anger, causing them to feel far apart. In order to bridge this distance and make their voices heard, they shout louder and louder.”
He went on to say, “Now, think about two people who are deeply in love. They don’t need to shout because their hearts are already close. They can communicate with soft words because there’s hardly any distance between them.”
The saint continued, “As their love grows stronger, they don’t even need words. They can simply look into each other’s eyes and understand. That’s how close two people are when they truly love each other.”
Turning to his disciples, the saint advised, “So, when you argue, don’t let anger drive you apart. Avoid saying hurtful words that create more distance between you. Otherwise, one day, the gap between your hearts will be so vast that it may be difficult to find your way back.”
The disciples listened intently, realizing the importance of keeping their hearts close, even in times of disagreement.