A boy went to a community meeting with his grandfather. The boy loved spending all the time he could with his grandfather because their time together was filled with great stories, laughter, play and wisdom. Before sitting down at the meeting, the boy and his grandfather helped themselves to some hot chocolate and doughnuts.

During the meeting, a man began to talk badly about the grandfather. The grandfather was simply looking at the man who was speaking ill of him and smiling, until he noticed his grandson had tears streaming down his face.

“Why are you crying, Grandson?”
“Because he’s talking bad about you.”

“Are the things he is saying about me true?”

“No, that’s why I’m crying.”

“So, because he is saying these things about me, does that make them true?”

“No, of course not. But all you do is help people and some people still talk like that about you.”

“Grandson, don’t cry for me, cry for him.”

“I don’t understand, Grandpa.”

“I’m helping him right now. He obviously has a lot of anger he needs to get out, and I am happy to help him this way, too. He is speaking volumes about himself and nothing about me or you.”

“So what do we do, Grandpa?”

“Enjoy our hot chocolate, doughnuts, this beautiful day, and let them talk.”

(Rain of Thoughts, Anthony Goulet, 2015)