The Fire Within

In a peaceful village lived a young boy named Arjun. He was kind and hardworking, but his friend, Rohan, was often clumsy. One sunny afternoon, while they were playing, Rohan accidentally tripped and smashed Arjun's favorite wooden model airplane. Arjun felt a surge of intense anger. It felt as if a hot coal had been placed in his chest, burning him from the inside. He wanted to scream at Rohan and strike back. Just then, his grandfather, who had seen everything, walked over and whispered, 'Arjun, anger is like a bundle of fire. If you hold onto it to throw at someone, it will burn your own hands first. It is better to let it go.' Arjun took a deep breath and closed his eyes. He fought the urge to yell. Slowly, the heat in his chest faded. Rohan, with tears in his eyes, apologized sincerely. Arjun realized that by choosing not to be angry, he had saved his peace and his friendship. He learned that controlling oneself is much harder, and much better, than reacting in rage.