INNER PEACE: LOST AND FOUND.

Yesterday we had a visitor. The man who is a family friend came to see us and said:
“I feel so sad and angry. Here in Malta we have lost our values, I think.” I was surprised to see him so emotional. Due to the shocking circumstances in Malta, he lost his inner peace. Peace is the opposite of war. Yes, inside him there was a war, an emotional war.
He asked me what I think about it.

I offered my way of pragmatic view:
Switching from the emotions to the facts.
The strategy, which brings more light on the path from the outside world to our inner peace.
1.The shocking reality created his sadness, anger, confusion.
2.He is a sensitive person. To express sympathy is a supporting way, helping to cope to all sides. It is a sign of compassion, the ability to be aware of somebody’s loss or suffering. It calms our anger and minds.
3.To generalize (Here in Malta we have lost our values, I think) means we use to see things black or white, we do not connect with the reality. “Did I lose my values? Did my loved ones here in Malta lose their values?” No, I did not, either my Maltese loved ones and either him”.
Gathering some facts and discussing them helped him to calm down and got relief.

I would like to introduce the “harsh way” of the Greek philosopher Socrates:
The Three Filters Test. Here it is.
Once Socrates met an acquaintance who said:
“I’ve something important to tell you, it is about your friend.”
“That’s very kind of you,” Socrates said, “but, first I am going to use the filter of truth. Whatever you want to tell me, have you seen or witnessed it yourself?”
“I actually heard it from someone,” the man said, “and, it is from a trusted source.”
“All right, but that does not pass my first test,” Socrates added, “since you don’t know whether it’s true.”
“Second, it is the filter of goodness. Is that a good statement you want to make about my friend?”
“Not really. That’s the reason I wanted ….”
Socrates said: “So, you want to tell me something bad about someone but don’t know if it’s true. The last one is the filter of utility. Your statement about my friend, will it be useful to me?”
“Not really as such. I just wanted to share.”
“Well, if the information is not necessarily true, it is not good, and, it is of no use,” Socrates concluded, “please, I don’t want to know about it.”

Either we want to share any information or we are receiving the information, especially negative, bad news, besides the facts and knowing if it is true or false, it is worth to evaluate what we are going to do with news. Do not let penetrate bad news through our brains to our hearts.
I am sure there are Maltese people who do not lose their values. I know many of them. The values as family, generosity, hospitality, sense of humour, ability to help each other.
It is an immense contribution to all of us.
Keep on track!

Agnes Klocokova
Your Positivity Approach Provider