Drop It

Fights tend to rear their ugly heads every now and then.


I feel that the world would be a better place if fighting got up and left. Apart from the serenity achieved from making up after the fact, nothing good has ever come from a fight. Whether it is a physical brawl or a verbal exchange, a full fledged fight is completely avoidable, completely unnecessary, and a waste of time.


What blows my mind is that people on this planet are making money right now to punch someone's face in. That's the last kind of money I would ever want to make. You might think that yes, something good is coming from that fight - people are making their living from it. But at what cost? Bloody bruises and broken bones, which I think more than take away from any money gained from a fight. Minus the blow to the economy suffered from its departure, professional fighting has every reason to just go away. (Sure, there are people that genuinely love fighting, which I understand. My point is that there is so high a risk and so high a cost to fighters, that in the end, they gain little to nothing.)


It's not just professional fights that are unnecessary. Arguments exist on every level - not just professional. In fact, there might be more people fighting in domestic scenarios than in any other situations that humankind has to offer. Consider growing up with your parents. You fought to get what you wanted in your younger naive years, and didn't care what anyone else had to say. All you did was upset your parents and make them work harder. Yes, we're young and don't know better, but then why does fighting continue to exist in our older years? I have argued with my parents recently, sure. Every time it happens, I regret it afterwards. I could have saved my energy instead of wasted our time.


I think a good skill to have is to know when to just drop it. Every argument that we ever have is only happening because we believe we are right to some degree, and we want to prove ourselves. We want to get what we think we deserve, and we want the other side to concede to you. And yet, both sides would be better off if the argument never started.


How far down the wrong road will you go before turning around? Well, you sure aren't going to just keep going the wrong way. You definitely will turn around. Just like you should just stop arguing, no matter how far into the conversation you are. It doesn't matter who "wins," or who gets the better piece, or who gets to go when the other stays home. Today is one in many, many days of your life, and what happens to you this one time will be a distant memory some day. Even if the fight has gotten really bad, you should always just stop. Make up and worry about more important things.


So the next time you catch yourself in an argument, ask yourself: "Is this really worth our time and energy?" Stop, take a deep breath, swallow your pride, and shake hands. It's okay.


Less arguing means more happiness, and less hate means more love. Sounds good to me.