Fight Fire with Fire?

 

There is an old saying that states, "You have to fight fire with fire".  I am not sure that is always true, nor wise. When the fire is an argument or disagreement, adding more fuel is not helpful.  If you take the analogy literally it would seem that you should fight fire with water, after all that is what puts out fire.  Fighting fire with fire escalates arguments and wastes energy.  It can make existing problems larger, hotter, more volatile.  The use of calming water can make them smaller, cooler, more manageable.  It may even put the fire out entirely. 

Be calm when dealing with a difficult situation, don't spread the fire.  Consider using a dose of cool, calming water the next time you have a fire to fight.

Never underestimate the impact you can have on someone's day!

Life is made up of a lot of opportunities.  Many of those opportunities come in the form of our interactions with other people.  They may be obvious and significant or subtle. Often, we react quickly, without much consideration for the viewpoint of the other person(s).  Remember that you never know what another person may be dealing with in their life.  You never know what pressure they may be under at work, what struggles they may have at home or what illness someone in their family may be fighting.  A kind word, an out of the way effort, a smile, a compliment, or a thank you can make a world of difference in a person's day.  It is amazing how big the little things can be...

Make a positive impact in someone’s life today!