This archive report was first published on 16 December 2019.
On a fateful day in December 2019, a farmer's life was turned upside down by a series of tragic events, all triggered by a simple act of a demon releasing a donkey from its tie.
The story goes that a demon came and untied a donkey, which then ran into a farmer's field, destroying his crops. The farmer's wife, furious at the destruction, shot the donkey dead.
The donkey's owner, a friend of the farmer, was upset with the farmer's wife and shot her. The farmer, upon seeing his wife dying, rushed out and shot the donkey's owner. The wife of the donkey's owner, in turn, asked her sons to burn down the farmer's house.
As the farmer returned home to find his house burning, he was consumed by rage and shot the wife and two sons of the donkey's owner.
Having lost everything, the farmer sat in despair, wondering why his life had been turned upside down. The demon, passing by, revealed the truth: 'I did nothing, I only released the donkey, but all of you reacted, overacted and released your inner devil.'
The demon's words struck a chord, highlighting the dangers of reacting to situations without thinking. It is the demon that wakes us up by triggering our ego, which can turn into evil intent and harm others.
So, the next time you feel the urge to react, remember to stop and think. Learn to respond, not react, and follow the 5 Stop and Start golden rule: Stop reacting and Start thinking; Stop talking and Start listening; Stop criticising and Start appreciating; Stop assuming and Start clarifying; Stop expecting and Start acting.
Believe in yourself, and remember that it is not what happens to you that matters, but how you react to it.
