Grace under Pressure

I have recently returned from the wedding of the son of a very dear friend in Bali. It was wonderful- a time of hope, camaraderie, laughter, lots of good food and drink. But as always, whenever you have a large group of people together- there is always drama. One of the guests had a death in the family and had to return home, lost luggage, minor ailments, accidents, and through it all, our hosts radiated serenity, happiness, and total equanimity. Bear in mind that this was a large wedding, held over four days- the organization involved was enormous and meticulous.

I think one incident summed our hosts’ attitude….One of the staff was apologizing for something and our hostess, Minnie said “Don’t worry about it, NOTHING is a hassle, everything can be fixed”.

Which made me reflect on the rare quality of “Grace under Pressure”. What a wonderful quality to cultivate. Most of us  are calm and composed when things are going well- but it is when things are difficult we lose that calm, when we most need it.

I know that I for one,  will be repeating the mantra “Nothing is a hassle, everything can be fixed” next time things are falling apart. Thank you, Minnie- as always, you are an inspiration.