SPIRIT - Mindset Matters

A dreary afternoon hung over the city as two men sat in the waiting area of a doctor’s clinic. The air smelled of antiseptic and old magazines lay scattered on a table between them. The room was silent except for the occasional rustling of papers and the distant hum of traffic from the street outside.

One of the men, a middle-aged individual with tired eyes and a furrowed brow, checked his watch and sighed. The receptionist had just informed them that the doctor was delayed due to an emergency surgery. Irritated, he muttered to himself before turning to the other man seated beside him—a lean, bald-headed individual who exuded an inexplicable calm.

“Unbelievable, right? I mean, of all the days, today had to be the one where things go wrong again,” the first man grumbled, rubbing his temples.

The second man, who had been gazing at the window with a faint smile, turned his attention to him. “These things happen,” he said simply.

The first man shook his head. “You don’t understand. Life has been nothing but unfair to me lately.” Without waiting for a response, he continued, unloading a torrent of complaints. His marriage was on the verge of collapse. His teenage son barely spoke to him anymore. His boss had been riding him harder than ever. And, to top it all off, he had met with an accident weeks ago, which had him returning to this clinic for repeated checkups. “And now this! Stuck waiting because the doctor had an ‘emergency.’ As if I don’t have enough problems of my own.”

The second man listened patiently, his face betraying neither frustration nor pity. When the first man paused for breath, he said, “Life is unpredictable. But why waste our time complaining when we are blessed with the spirit to fight? We might win, we might lose, but the spirit should always be there.”

The first man scoffed. “Easy for you to say. You sound like one of those hopeless optimists who refuse to see the reality of how cruel life is.” He leaned forward. “Tell me, what makes you so positive?”

Before the second man could answer, the nurse stepped into the room and called him in. He simply smiled at the first man, nodded, and walked into the doctor’s office.

A moment later, the receptionist, having overheard their conversation, leaned toward the first man and spoke in a hushed tone. “You know, he’s been battling cancer again. He had one successful fight, but it returned. He’s here to discuss his treatment options.”

The first man sat back, stunned. The irritation in his chest melted into a deep sense of shame, followed by admiration. Here he was, consumed by complaints about life’s hardships, while the man he had dismissed as ‘hopelessly optimistic’ was facing a battle far greater than his own—yet chose resilience over resentment.

As he sat there, reflecting, a thought settled in his mind: perhaps life wasn’t about fairness or misfortune, but about the spirit with which one chose to face it.

When the second man walked out of the doctor’s office, he was greeted with a look of newfound respect. The first man stood, hesitated for a moment, then extended his hand. “I never got your name.”

The man smiled, shaking his hand. “Take care.”

The first man nodded. “Thank you.”

The second man simply gave another small smile and walked away, leaving behind not just an empty seat—but a changed perspective.