Monday, August 22, 2005

Swallow your pride

A city warrior knows that pride means nothing if it gets in your way of survival or life mission.

The value of pride only comes when you are among the "fittest" that DO survived and are among the most successful in your life mission. Now, that is true pride.

The Han Dynasty (circa 206 BC - 220 AD) was one of the greatest dynasty in the history of China. The first emperor of the Han Dynasty was Liu Bang, and he had many able assistants and counselors. Among them, Han Xin played the most important role in helping him eliminate his enemies, especially Xiang Yu, the Western Conqueror of Chu. Without Han Xin, there would be no Han Dynasty.

As a military counselor and the supreme commander of the army under Liu Bang, Han Xin was highly respected by many. In fact, his name brought fear to many of his enemies, even before the battles started. He is a true hero and a man above the others. A true warrior.

After having helped Liu Bang established the Han Dynasty (that was to last for almost 400 years), Han Xin was asked by someone about a very humiliating incident that happened to him when he was a weak young man in his village. It was said that one day he was cornered by 3 village ruffians and well-known bullies. They forced him to fight them and he refused. They gave him a second alternative: to crawl under their legs. It was the greatest humiliation for a man but Han Xin accept that alternative and actually crawled between their thighs.

It does not make sense right? For a warrior and great army general like Han Xin, why didn't he fight back? Well, this was what Han Xin answered:
"I saw no reason to fight. I might have won, or I might have been killed by them for nothing. For me, accepting the humiliating option, was the best and fastest way out of the situation and I avoided making unnecessary enemies. So what if I was known as a weakling. So what if people said I was useless.

Today, those 3 bullies are shaking when they hear my name. If I didn't swallow my pride, I could have been killed and I would not accomplish so much in life. It was the best thing to do and I was right.
"
See? Because Han Xin has swallowed his pride, he eventually became one of the greatest and most illustrious general in the history of China. Because Han Xin has swallowed his pride, he lived to assist Liu Bang to establish the Han Dynasty, one of the greatest dynasties in the history of the middle kingdom.

In reality, it takes great inner strength and self-restraint to be able to swallow one's pride when it is needed. A true warrior knows what needs to be done and do it because he has to and not because he wants to. Survival first. Pride later.