Self-control

Self-control.

Practising self-control is very important as a human but somehow it is lacking amongst people.

I am talking about self-control on what we say and when to keep quiet.

Even on what we write to others in social media.

Sometimes it is hurtful.

When I was at the Sacre de Coehr, Montmatre, Paris..

There were street artists everywhere.

Some of them make a potrait for a living.

So one guy approached me.

He was not a French but maybe from The Balkan but I wasn't sure.

He asked me if I was from Kazakhstan.

Kazakhstan women looked like Russian or sort of Chinese because of the location near China and Mongolia.

Since in med school, the taxi drivers always confused me with Kazakhstan ladies.

So I get it.

'No, I am from Malaysia', I replied.

Then he offered to draw me.

My eyes immediately wandered to his past creations.

They weren't that good.

I contemplated whether to sit and let him draw me, will it look bad? How long will I have to sit here and wait for him to finish? I have so many things to do today because I am a tourist.

What if I don't like his work, will I have to pay??

I said,'No, thank you'.

I wasn't interested unless he was really good but his past work did excite me.

He replied,' You Chinese people, never like to be  separated from your money. Ya, keep it'.

And he walked away.

It took me a moment to recover from that set down with that tone.

How rude was he.

Should I tell you that you don't have the talent??

So what if I don't want to give away my money for something I won't like???

I was angry and upset.

It took me half of the day to recover.

Yea, we Chinese don't like to give away our money pointlessly.

I realized that.

Even my aunts used to say that about me when I was in primary school.

It was the fact that I always save my day money in my piggy bank.

I did eat, but there were balance to be save.

And I didn't spend it except once in a blue moon when I really want something.

I didn't know whats the big deal about being savvy.

I believe the Chinese are very clever with money.

We save our money and still live good.

So what??

You don't see a savvy Chinese guy starve just to save his money right?

And enough with labelling people and being racist.

I am Chinese and Malay. It is in my blood and whatever people say about the Malay and Chinese, it just hurt both way.

That idiot guy was rude to me.

Just because he didn't get my money, he had to lash it on me.

If only he learned self- control.

These days we have the keyboard warriors.

They would say whatever they like and comment to anyone just to state their opinion.

Eventhough, it might embarass or hurt someone.

Do you get a prize for being the cleverest in social media? Or for being mean?

Even if you were correct, you just proven what an ass you were.

If you wish to comment, do it thoughtfully.

I am no keyboard warrior I tell you.

I don't bother correcting anyone in social media or real life.

Even when my facebook friends formed an opinion about a disease and she was wrong about it, I read and moved on.

As long as it didn't hurt her or anyone, her opinion won't kill someone, so why should I bother?

She was happy.

Maybe sometimes I would laugh after reading someone's facebook status, but I practised self-control and just moved on.

Self-control is seriously lacking in these modern world.

And I do get annoyed by the keyboard warriors from my facebook circle.

You don't know everything Mr.

And after all these years, I have never once thought how clever you are except that I thought you were mean, tactless to others and arrogant.

So guys, lets not hurt others okay.

Lets just say only the good thing and make people be at peace with our words.

We might forget whatever we have said but the person who heard it might still be thinking about it until now.

Flowers for you:)