Image courtesy Rachel Clark
I fondly remember playing a very silly game at junior school which caused a great deal of laughter. One’s friends all took turns to ask you questions, and to each you had to reply, “Sausages!” without even smiling. For instance:
“What does your hair look like?”
“Sausages!”
“What rains down from the sky during a thunder storm?”
“Sausages!”
“What does your mum call your dad?”
“Sausages!”
“What is the shopping centre built out of?”
“Sausages!”
See what I mean? Incredibly silly!
The person to answer the most questions without even smiling was the winner, but if you smiled, or, heaven forbid laughed, you were out of the game.
Yet, I was strongly reminded of this game recently when reading an article sent in by a friend for our local Theosophical Society newsletter which I help to facilitate and edit. Barbara was writing about taking or giving offence.
“Have you ever been offended? What did you do?
Have you ever given offence? What happened?
How do you respond to a deliberately hurtful comment?
Cab you turn the other cheek?
Can you have compassion for the person who is so insecure as to be hurtful towards another?
You could try responding with the word “Sausages!” In certain circumstances the resultant surprise and laughter might break unwelcome tension. On the down side, it might also give greater offence and precipitate a deeper rift.
Or we could try playing a similar game, an adult game, but using different words. Try responding to each question or circumstance with the words, “You have my love.” The game would therefore run along these sort of lines:
How do you respond to someone who is being rude?
“You have my love.”
How do you respond to a deliberately hurtful comment?
“You have my love.”
Can you have compassion for the person who is being hurtful?
“You have my love.”
How do you behave with someone who has made mistakes or caused trouble – purposely or accidentally?
“You have my love.”
No matter how hurt or angry we might feel, if we keep repeating those few words with as much true sentiment behind them as possible, we will begin to feel more loving, calmer and healed; the situation will be defused and the resulting damage minimalised.
People who are hurtful and aggressive are people who are having a bad time and their wounding, antisocial behaviour is only a thinly veiled cry for help. They certainly don’t need blame and abuse heaped on them by you in return. This is only going to make the situation ten times worse.
Do not make the mistake of thinking that being smart and sarcastic yourself will make you look clever. Descending to the level of someone else’s broken-ness only shouts to the rest of the world that you are equally – if not more – damaged and unable to help yourself.
Remember the old adage? “Two wrongs don’t make a right.”
However, drawing the cloak of unconditional love around yourself will protect you from their potentially wounding capabilities. Responding with love may also help them. It will most certainly make you stronger and happier. A real win/win situation.
So, in any difficult or hurtful situation, remember to block all your own negative reactions. Open your heart centre and feel… see… the beautiful light of love flowing out from you.
And if that is too difficult to begin with, you might just have to resort to the simpler alternative…
“Sausages!”
