Al Amn Magazine

ife is not without pain and suffering, just as it is interspersed with moments of happiness and reassurance. And if man is by nature a social being, he must accept the evils and tragedies of life, in a way that he enjoys its goodness and beauty. And since people are partners in life, competition may be natural between them in many areas of work and interests and even occupying positions and sites. Between the folds of this competition, one of them may offend the other, and some consider it a natural thing, as it is one of the signs of competition and conflict between people. But we believe that a normal person is able to ignore this offense and overlook it, as the Lebanese philosopher and writer Gibran Khalil Gibran said: «He who ignores an offense is not incapable of responding to it, but he knew the value of the offender and ignored him.» This ignorance may be tolerance or silence and it is not weakness of course, but it is «an advancement that some minds have not realized» in the words of Thomas Paine, one of the philosophers of the enlightenment era in the United States. According to what human development experts explain, there are several ways to deal with abuse, including responding with kindness, silence, remorse, or setting barriers with people, and there are those who consider it «humor and mockery». Our belief is that ignoring is a typical solution for dealing with the abuser. It may push him to review himself and go back on what he said or did - and it may stop him from continuing his abuse as long as he did not find a response to what he said and claimed. He may consider ignoring a diminution of his value, so he increases his abuse to later return to his senses and then correct the course. But we believe that abuse in our modern era has taken many forms, which may not be material or tangible. When you trample on the feelings of others and do not take them into consideration, it is abuse, and when you refuse to appreciate people and mend their feelings, it is abuse. When you treat them as if you are from one planet and they are from another and you turn your back on them intentionally or ignoringly, it is the greatest offense because it strikes souls and minds and shakes the human constants and his self- confidence and what some may call «hope». Despite all of that, we return to the famous wisdom «He who ignores offence is not unable to respond to it, but he knew the value of the offender and ignored him» to emphasize an important matter, which is to avoid offense from the beginning so that others do not ignore you. The path of love is paved and its feelings are healthier and happier, while evil and hatred require effort and sick souls. The path of love is easier and its ending is happier so that others do not ignore you. b i n d a i n a@b a t e l c o . c om . b h Maj. Gen. Mohammed Bin Daina So t hat ot hers do not i gnore you L Ourbelief is that ignoring isa typical solution fordealingwith theabuser LASTWORD