Jat: What do you think of people who can’t take jokes?
Yah: Why? Who had you offended?
Jat: That petty client I told you before.
Yah: Haha, someone who can’t take jokes is still better than someone who turns everything into competition.
Jat: Goodness, did I mention she’s into that too?
Yah: Wahaha… you are in ‘luck’, aren’t you?
Jat: More like my bad karma ripening! I had apologised. So what would the Buddha do?
Yah: First of all, he would not joke with someone who can’t take a joke, or engage with someone who turns every conversation into a competition.
Jat: Well, she’s my client. I need to interact with her, right?
Yah: Yes… let me finish. As we are not like the Buddha, who can read minds, or with skilful means as sharp as his, the best thing to do is to have more mindful interaction with her, and just do your job.
Jat: The thing is, if I keep mum on the mistakes she made, she would say I sabotaged her. If I rectify her mistakes, she would say I’m insulting her. So I tried jokes and …. Well, I can’t win her, not that there were anything to win in the first place. Do you think I ‘owe’ her big time in my previous life?
Yah: Woah, could be previous karma, but the solution is in the now. Show her your sincerity, let your superior know what’s going on and in the next meeting, request a third party to be present – so that she would be more clear-minded and less personal!
Jat: I guess will do that.
Yah: Aiya, don’t be disheartened. Just try your best and radiate more metta (loving-kindness). Smile more – don’t let her negativity affect you. Sooner or later, she will realise her mistakes and wake up. Hatred cannot cease hatred, only love can.