Be patient and understanding. Life is too short to be vengeful or

In the boundless river of life, we are often swept away by the currents of anger, hurt, and disappointment. Yet, in the face of these trials, there is wisdom to be found in the words of Phillips Brooks, who calls upon us to be patient and understanding. For life—with all its fleeting moments, its joys and sorrows—is far too short to waste in the pursuit of vengeance or malice. These emotions, though natural in the face of wrongs done to us, are like poison to the soul. They consume us from within, robbing us of the peace we could have. True strength lies not in retaliation, but in the grace with which we choose to rise above the slings and arrows of life.

Consider the tale of Alexander the Great, a man who conquered vast territories and led armies with unparalleled ambition. Yet, despite his monumental achievements, there came a time when his rage and thirst for power led him to treat his closest companions with disdain, even resorting to vengeance when slighted. The story of his friend Hephaestion, one of Alexander's most trusted generals, reveals the cost of living by the sword of anger. When Hephaestion died, Alexander's grief was overwhelming, for he had let his wrath cloud the love he once held for his friend. He sought to bring his fallen companion back to life with great ceremony, but in doing so, he realized that the true cost of malice was the loss of the ability to cherish the love he had in life. Had he been more patient and understanding, perhaps he could have seen the greatness of his relationships while his friends still walked the earth.

The wisdom in Brooks' words is rooted in an ancient truth: patience is the key to unlocking a life of peace. To be patient with others and with ourselves is to recognize that time is the most precious of gifts. When we are consumed with anger or resentment, we trade the present moment for an imagined future in which we avenge wrongs or settle scores. Yet such actions rarely bring satisfaction, only fleeting relief, for they do not heal the wounds they seek to address. Vengeance and malice only serve to bind us to the past, shackling our hearts and minds to a cycle of hurt.

The Buddha, in his teachings, spoke of the futility of anger, encouraging us to let go of grudges and embrace the path of forgiveness. He taught that true freedom is not found in retribution, but in releasing the chains of bitterness that bind us. Forgiveness, much like patience, is not an easy task. It requires strength, a strength rooted not in the desire to win or punish, but in the ability to rise above the instinct to harm in return. It is the act of surrendering the right to revenge and choosing instead to foster a spirit of understanding and compassion. This, indeed, is the path to inner peace.

Consider the life of Nelson Mandela, a man who endured decades of imprisonment, suffering, and loss at the hands of the apartheid regime. Yet, when he was finally released, Mandela did not choose the path of revenge. Instead, he chose understanding, reconciliation, and the building of a united South Africa. His patience and forgiveness in the face of unspeakable hardship became the cornerstone of his leadership. He knew that life was too short to be spent seeking revenge, for true strength lay in reconciliation and the wisdom to see beyond the wounds of the past.

The lesson of Brooks is one that transcends time and culture. Patience is not merely a passive act, but an active choice to understand the human condition in all its imperfection. It is the decision to forgive when every instinct urges us to strike back, to offer grace instead of bitterness. To be patient is to acknowledge that we are all fallible beings, and that no one is immune from error or pain. Understanding is the key to unlocking compassion, to seeing the world through the eyes of others, and to realizing that we all carry burdens, sometimes invisible to the eye.

In our own lives, let us take to heart the wisdom of Phillips Brooks. When faced with injustice or harm, let us choose patience over vengeance, understanding over malice. Life is too short, and its moments too precious, to waste on grudges that do nothing but weigh heavy on the soul. Instead, let us rise above the petty grievances of life, seeking peace in our hearts and in our relationships. In doing so, we not only free ourselves from the chains of bitterness, but we also open the door to a life of peace, growth, and wisdom.