A man was screaming and hurling insults at a revered philosopher in the marketplace.
“You’re a fool! You are a fraud! You’re drinker! You are a thief!” The frustrated man just kept shouting.
The philosopher just smiled and walked on. A wealthy and well-dressed man who had observed the entire scene and who had great respect for the philosopher walked up to the philosopher and asked, “Teacher, how can you tolerate such insults? Don’t you feel bothered?”
The philosopher smiled and said to him, “Come with me.”
When they got to the philosopher’s house, he lighted a candle and began rummaging in an ancient box. He found an old, tattered robe, threw it at the rich man and said, “Try this on and see if it fits.” The rich man took the robe, looked at it and recoiled in horror. “Me? Wear this thing? You must be out of your mind! I can never wear such a rag!”
The philosopher smiled and then said, “You don’t want to wear a rag. Neither do I. That was why I refused to be offended at that man’s bitter rants against me. To feel offended would have been accepting the rag he was offering me.”
MORAL: What people think of you is their own opinion, and not necessarily who you are. Don’t allow anyway mistreat you. Know your worth and carry yourself with dignity.
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