Sometimes, the chores we do at home, makes one draw parallels to day to day life.
Here are a few chores (C) and their parallel (P)..
C 1 – When milk boils and it reaches the brim of the vessel, even if I switch off the gas immediately, at times the milk spills over. Sometimes, I think it would spill but it would stop just at the brim and then recede into the vessel. Whether it would spill or not, depends on when I switch the gas off and also the temperature of the milk. Takes time to clean the area of the gas stove and / or the kitchen platform of the spilt milk. When the spilt milk dries up, if not cleaned immediately, cleaning up the dried milk becomes a laborious process.
P 1– In some situations we would be in great anger, that even though the situation would have been solved or handled, our own boiling point would make us use words in an unregulated manner. The point has tipped!!! We can’t take back the words we use. The scars it leaves in the person on whom we used these words, is time-consuming to heal; and at times, remains an unhealed scar.
Some times, we may swallow our words and attept to gather ourselves. There perhaps is an awareness to be watchful about what we say. Our own body language and the tone we use, may rattle the person we speak to. It would leave a mild cut which would heal in a few days. Time taken to repair the impact of the heated moments would be short!! Though the next time onwards, both parties would be watchful, hoping not to see the other touch the tipping point!!
C 2– When we let the milk boil in the vessel for a while, in addition to the milk spilling over, the quantity of milk in the vessel reduces.
P 2– When we are in the emotion of anger for a while, we say that ‘our blood is boiling’, indicating an increased temperature in our body. This increased body temperature has the power to impact the quality of the working of our body physically, physiologically and psychologiclly – The powerful 3 is reduced in its power. If we are watchful about how the ‘boiling blood’ affects the 3 P’s, we would have a ‘cooler’ blood!!!
C 3 – Sometimes, by chance, we may have a vessel (of any material) close to the gas stove but not on it. If it is a vessel made of a metal, it absorbs the heat and touching it with bare hands, lends a bruise. If it is any other material like plastic or fibre, it melts in the heat rendering the vessel unusable, partially or completely thereafter.
P 3 – When we are in a situation that is heated, even though we may not directly be involved, the anger in the environment radiates its own toxicity that is absorbed by us. Depending on our mettle, we will absorb the toxicity, to whatever extent it can be absorbed. It may leave us disturbed for sometime or may leave a scar in us that can be healed or may make us carry the toxic baggage for years to come.
Situations come and situations go.. BUT we neither come and neither go. We are in it.
We know ourselves and how we react to and in the environment we are in..
Whether we stay in the environment or we leave, is upto us, depending on the comfort or discomfort we feel in the environment..
Can we leave every environment that we are uncomfortable in? Well, only we can answer that.
If we decide to stay in the environment, how we insulate ourselves and / or how we respond in it, is with us.
At the end of the day – what we do and how we do, is in our hands.
The impact of what / how we do isn’t in our hands though it will show itself at the right time and place; and in the way it should be!! We just need to be ready to handle it!!
October 26, 2024 at 8:09 pm
Beautiful and very well compared… My thoughts as I went through this process while reading…
C1: the milk was cold and placed on a tolerable level of heat.. It starts getting warm and as the process gets warmer.. It begins to build a layer of cream and when left to boil.. It either recedes or overflows… So.. Tolerance is important, only upto a point and if it overflows… It is much needed for the container and the milk as well… Mess is bound to happen.. It is a cleaner kitchen after the mess.
C2: Boiling milk that reduces in quantity relates to milk getting thicker and the purpose turning to take an altered form.. Maybe a sweet? … Purpose.. Wise people use their experiences and shell out their energy only in a place that feels more resourceful.
C3: The impact on the vessel nearby is much relatable to toxic people.
October 27, 2024 at 5:38 am
Thanks Sriranjani.. Different parallels.. Love them especially the second one..
October 25, 2024 at 9:30 pm
Wonderful.
I am reminded of a psychologist’s advice to parents not to fight in front of children…
“The ENERGY statys in the air”… long after…
October 27, 2024 at 5:39 am
Thanks Ranga.. Certainly yes, energy stays in the air..
October 25, 2024 at 8:52 pm
Very interesting analogies Malathy! I completely agree and resonate with them. This kind of awareness related to our emotional regulation definitely helps.
October 27, 2024 at 5:39 am
Thanks Divya.
October 25, 2024 at 8:12 pm
Good one M! Great parallels drawn. I think for me personally .. my Prayers are my shield against life’s uncertainties, that is what insulates me! 😊
October 27, 2024 at 5:39 am
Thanks Swathi.. Thats something I can resonate with..
October 25, 2024 at 7:59 pm
Are there situations where one is unaffected in any way?
There are isnt it?
Comes with years of practice… Comes with years of in my control / not in my control…
Is that the right time to switch off the stove?!
October 27, 2024 at 5:41 am
Thanks Rajani. Not many situations where one is unaffected, Rajani isn’t it?
What’s the right time, to switch off the stove.. So subjective na?
October 25, 2024 at 7:20 pm
Fantastic relation to milk boiling…so apt..n I could just relate to the situation…. malathy ur writing is so thought provoking….keep writing n we will keep reading…..
October 27, 2024 at 5:42 am
Thanks so much da, Nandini..
October 25, 2024 at 10:06 am
So simple example but so deep analysis.Enjoyed reading
October 27, 2024 at 5:42 am
Thanks much Sapna
October 25, 2024 at 9:38 am
The analogy of boiling milk has been used beautifully to equate with anger.
Lovely blog
October 27, 2024 at 5:42 am
Thanks much, Kavitha