Compromising
Life itself is full of lessons and it is left for us to be conscious enough to learn from those lessons when it does occur. Unfortunately, some of us don't pay attention enough and end up missing out on some of this life lessons simply because they happen too fast or make so little impact that we don't even know when it happens.
Sometime early this year I had taken it upon myself to be in charge of my hostel security, and by being in charge, I meant making sure that the hostel gate was locked everyday by exactly 10pm. I wasn't the one in charge of this duty in the past but I had to volunteer after it became obvious that the previous person in charge didn't care much about our security.
Photo by Muhammad Zaqy Al Fattah
So during the past few months, I had taken it upon myself to keep to time and for a minute everyone got the memo, they understood that someone new was now in charge so everyone tried to wrap up their business everyday before 10pm and if they couldn't, they would wait until the next day to finish up. It worked for a while but then they started to approach me and would plead with me to give them five minutes to go quickly buy something outside, at first it was a one time thing so I allowed it. But then it started to get constant and five minutes turned to ten and ten turned to fifteen.
I began to compromise on the rules.
The crazy thing about this whole thing was that most of this people would remain in their rooms up until the time they hear the keys hit against the gate, then they quickly rush outside, wanting to go buy something.
And then one day, during one of the hostel meetings, one of them had gotten bold enough to ask for a new time when it comes to locking the gate, while knowing fully well that anytime further than 10pm is literally putting the whole hostel at risk because this is a school environment and students do crazy things when they're broke.
Unfortunately for that person, his request was denied but luckily for me, I was active enough to get the one lesson this whole experience has taught me. And that lesson is that there are certain things you shouldn't compromise on, because if you do just for the sake of peace, you would end up creating a bigger problem for yourself.
And it's because humans are never satisfied and they will keep on reaching, just for the sake of seeing how far they can reach. So unless you feel the damage won't be disastrous, do not compromise.
I have witnessed it several times is my life. People go straight with the people who are strict and uncompromising. People who are lenient and compromising are played with. People take them for granted and do whatever they want to do.
For retaining peace and hormony in life Compromises have their importance. Nevertheless, it should be wisely done, else it is taken as your weakness.
Yup, I totally agree with you. If we must compromise, we just have to make sure to do it in a way where it doesn't come back to hurt us.
There are times when peace should not be the only option. What somethings need is deliberation cos I don't want to say violence
People tend to put in trouble when you choose to be peaceful
Yeah, it funny how always trying to make peace will end up not giving you peace but the opposite of it.. So sometimes, we just have to balance it out, know when to make peace and know when not to make peace.
I think in case of rules we need to remain strict. If you compromise then it will happen continuously because it's the nature of human. I think such kind of thing would not happen if you were strict from the beginning. Only special case can be considered in my opinion.
I am happy to see, that you are not willing to compromise on your rules and regulation, yes, there should be a person who think and care about security, and you are that person. Though it was not your duty. but you do care about your students and that's worth appreciating.