Have you ever felt angry at someone’s words? Maybe a friend insulted you. Maybe your boss shouted at you. Or maybe someone ignored your message and your whole mood changed. But here’s the truth. No one can make you angry unless you allow them to. Once there was a man who got angry at everything and everyone.
But one meeting changed his entire life. This is his story and maybe it’s yours, too. Once upon a time in a quiet village near the mountains, there lived a man named Raheem. Raheem was known for one thing, his temper. If his wife forgot salt and food, he shouted. If a cow entered his field, he screamed. Even when children laughed outside, Raheem yelled, “Can’t you be quiet for one moment?” He believed the world was the problem, not him.
His wife, Amina, often said gently, “Raheem, why do you let small things make you so angry?” Raheem flown. Because people should learn how to behave. If they don’t respect me, how can I stay calm? He never realized he was giving everyone the power to control his peace. One summer morning, a monk arrived in the village.

He wore simple white clothes, his face calm like still water. He sat under a banyan tree near the well. People said, “He speaks little, but his words touch your heart.” One afternoon, Amina said, “Raheem, go meet the monk. Maybe he can help you.” Raheem laughed. Huh? What will a monk teach me? He doesn’t deal with fools like I do.
But the next day, while Raheem worked in his field, a neighbor’s son accidentally broke one of his tools. Raheem lost control. He shouted so loudly that even the birds flew away. The boy ran home crying. That evening, Raheem sat alone, his chest still burning. “Why do I always end up feeling worse after shouting?” he whispered.
That night, he couldn’t sleep. Before sunrise, he walked toward the banyan tree. The monk sat quietly, eyes closed, listening to the birds. Raheem stood there, unsure how to begin. Finally, he said, “Munk, I’m tired. People make me mad, and I can’t control myself.” The monk opened his eyes and smiled softly. “Sit down, my friend.” He asked, “When someone makes you angry, how long does it stay?” Raheem thought, “Sometimes an hour, sometimes a whole day.
” “And when the anger fades, how do you feel?” Raheem sighed. Empty, sad, tired. The monk nodded. Exactly. Because anger burns the one who holds it, not the one it’s aimed at. He picked up a cup of water. This water is calm now, but if I shake it, you can’t see your reflection. The same happens with your mind. When it’s disturbed, you can’t see truth.
Raheem frowned. So, should I just stay silent when people insult me? The monk smiled. No, learn to respond, not react. There’s a big difference. When someone throws dirt at you, you can either catch it or step aside. The choice is yours. The next morning, the monk asked Rahheem to bring a pot of water and a handful of sand. Raheem did as told.

“Now boil the water,” said the monk. As the water bubbled, the monk asked, “Can you touch it now?” Raheem replied, “Of course not. It’s too hot.” The monk smiled. “That’s anger. When emotions boil, you can’t touch peace.” Then he dropped a spoonful of sand into the pot. The sand makes the water dirty. That’s your mind when you react.
He poured the water into a bowl. After a while, the sand settled and the water became clear again. This said the monk is what happens when you stop reacting. Your mind settles. You see life clearly again. Raheem sat silently. He realized all these years he had been boiling his own water.
For the next few days, Raheem practiced staying calm. When someone annoyed him, he took a deep breath and remembered the monk’s words, “Step aside. Don’t catch the dirt.” At first, it was hard. His old habits fought back. One afternoon, a merchant tried to cheat him at the market. Raheem’s blood boiled. He wanted to shout but stopped. He breathed slowly and said, “I’ll buy what I need from someone honest.
” He walked away. The merchant was shocked. For the first time, Raheem didn’t argue, and strangely, he felt peaceful. That night, he slept like a child. But change always meets a test. One morning as Raheem walked through the village, some young men mocked him. “Look, the angry man has become a saint.” They laughed.
Raheem felt the heat rise again. His fists tightened. His mind screamed, “Show them who you are.” But then he heard the monk’s voice in his head. “When you react, you give your power away.” Raheem stopped walking, smiled, and said, “You’re right. I used to get angry, but now I’m learning something better.” His calmness confused them.
When asked, “How can you stay calm when we insult you?” Raheem replied, “When someone offers you poison, you don’t have to drink it.” The group fell silent. Raheem walked away with peace in his heart. Weeks passed. Raheem’s wife noticed the change. He no longer shouted at children. He smiled more. Even when things went wrong, he stayed calm.

One morning, Raheem returned to the banyan tree. He bowed and said, “Master, I’ve learned something valuable. People didn’t make me angry. It was my own mind. Now I understand. I can choose peace instead of pain. The monk smiled. You’ve learned well, Raheem. Life will always test you, but every time you stay calm, you grow stronger inside.
Raheem asked, “Will people ever stop testing me?” The monk laughed softly. “When the storm sees you no longer run from it, it stops chasing you.” Years passed. Raheem became known as the calmst man in the village. When someone was upset, they came to him for advice. He always said, “Peace is not found in silence outside, but in silence inside.
” One day, a young boy asked Raheem, “Uncle Raheem, don’t people still make you angry?” Raheem smiled. Sometimes they try, but if you stop reacting, their power disappears. You can’t control the wind, but you can learn how to sail. He looked at the mountains and said, “When I stopped reacting, I started living.

” We cannot stop people from saying hurtful things. We cannot stop problems from coming, but we can stop giving them the power to steal our peace. Every reaction is a choice. Every moment of calm is strength. The one who controls his reaction controls his life. So next time someone tries to disturb your peace, smile and whisper, “I won’t catch the dirt.
” You can’t control the world, but you can control your reaction to it. Real strength isn’t shouting back. It’s staying peaceful when the world tries to shake you. If this story touched your heart, don’t forget to subscribe for more stories that inspire peace, strength, and growth. Because every story here helps you become a better version of yourself.
[Music]