Although both physical and mental pain seem to be unavoidable in life, discomfort – the mental tension of trying to avoid it – is avoidable.

The Buddha explained that if we are hit by an arrow there is pain. If we are angry there is a second pain. The wise person makes do with the original pain.

The discomfort I refer to is the the secondary, avoidable mental pain, the demand for reality to be different now from what it is in fact, which is clearly impossible.

What happens happens. Nothing else ever happens.

It is enough to realize this fully in order to live in peace and happiness independently of circumstances.