The Four Flies
A samurai was quietly enjoying his meal in a small inn, completely ignoring the four flies circling around him.At the same time, four ronins (masterless samurai) entered the restaurant. Their eyes were fixed with envy on the two beautiful swords the samurai carried on his back. Such weapons must have been worth a small fortune, and they were sure the lone samurai wouldn’t stand a chance against them.
They sat nearby and began loudly mocking and provoking him, hoping to draw him into a duel. Yet the samurai remained calm, seemingly indifferent, and continued eating.
As he finished, he slowly picked up his chopsticks once again. Then, with a lightning-fast and precise motion, he caught all four flies mid-air killing them with a single squeeze.He gently set the chopsticks down without ever looking at the ronins.
A deep silence followed.
Realizing the level of skill and discipline required for such an act, the ronins grew fearful. They left in silence.Much later, they learned that the man who had spared them was Miyamoto Musashi.
ReflectionSometimes it is wiser to avoid physical conflict.A calm, unexpected reaction can have more power than direct violence.Martial arts training helps develop this control and awareness.
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