20111016

Internal conflict



As a farewell gesture, I recently had lunch with a colleague who was about to retire. Reaching another major milestone in life, he was naturally rather pensive. Twice he mentioned that a simple, unconspicuous life is what he always prefers.
Ironically, though, it was during that same lunch hour that he also expressed his fury against his supervisor who did not give him the promotion he felt he deserved by giving him a good appraisal report. Obviously, it was something that he felt had marred his career, "I am shamed," he lamented. Not wanting this to keep haunting him when his working days are over, I advised him to let go of his disappointment and his ill feelings against his supervisor.
It is a sad fact that we human beings are imbued with such internal conflict but are not not very good at seeing, understanding and handling them.

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