<p>On the road, right in front of the building I live in, is a speed-breaker. It has been there for as long as I can remember. There are no warning marks on it; it is higher than it should be and is irregular. Watching motorists and pedestrians negotiate it is quite instructive.</p>.<p>Some motorists slow down and pass over it gently. Others rash or unaware of it screech to a halt and bumble and rumble over it. Pedestrians stub their feet or stumble on the pot-holes at its edges. Of what use is it, you may wonder. Well, it is undoubtedly a hurdle, but it also slows traffic down and prevents many accidents. As speed-breakers go, it could do with much more maintenance, but there is no doubt it contributes to caution and safety. </p>.<p>Perched on my chair in the balcony, I cannot help reflecting that life too has many speed-breakers. They are the problems we come across in daily living and can prove to be annoying and obstructive.</p>.<p><strong>Also Read | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/opinion/oasis/pearls-of-the-same-strand-1194288.html" target="_blank">Pearls of the same strand</a></strong></p>.<p>But it happens to everyone, irrespective of the task he or she is engaged in.</p>.<p>They are part and parcel of life and cannot be avoided. There are just two ways in which to confront them – to fight and resist them or to relax and overcome them. It is but natural to fret and fume when they happen.</p>.<p>You could complain about them and seek sympathy, but all this fails to help; rather it makes one uptight and ill-tempered. </p>.<p>On the other hand, one can take a cue from the act of crossing speed-breakers. It is to slow down, relax and do our best to solve the problem. This is no waste of time, because a solution will present itself sooner than later, helping one to overcome the crisis smoothly and easily.</p>.<p>This is an attitude which also helps in developing a healthy sense of detachment. Solving problems by looking at them objectively and not reactively will instil a feeling of calm and steadiness and make a more agreeable person of you. The next time you have a problem, think of it as a speed-breaker. Facing it calmly and gently will prove to be the break you need to make your life smoother and happier.</p>
<p>On the road, right in front of the building I live in, is a speed-breaker. It has been there for as long as I can remember. There are no warning marks on it; it is higher than it should be and is irregular. Watching motorists and pedestrians negotiate it is quite instructive.</p>.<p>Some motorists slow down and pass over it gently. Others rash or unaware of it screech to a halt and bumble and rumble over it. Pedestrians stub their feet or stumble on the pot-holes at its edges. Of what use is it, you may wonder. Well, it is undoubtedly a hurdle, but it also slows traffic down and prevents many accidents. As speed-breakers go, it could do with much more maintenance, but there is no doubt it contributes to caution and safety. </p>.<p>Perched on my chair in the balcony, I cannot help reflecting that life too has many speed-breakers. They are the problems we come across in daily living and can prove to be annoying and obstructive.</p>.<p><strong>Also Read | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/opinion/oasis/pearls-of-the-same-strand-1194288.html" target="_blank">Pearls of the same strand</a></strong></p>.<p>But it happens to everyone, irrespective of the task he or she is engaged in.</p>.<p>They are part and parcel of life and cannot be avoided. There are just two ways in which to confront them – to fight and resist them or to relax and overcome them. It is but natural to fret and fume when they happen.</p>.<p>You could complain about them and seek sympathy, but all this fails to help; rather it makes one uptight and ill-tempered. </p>.<p>On the other hand, one can take a cue from the act of crossing speed-breakers. It is to slow down, relax and do our best to solve the problem. This is no waste of time, because a solution will present itself sooner than later, helping one to overcome the crisis smoothly and easily.</p>.<p>This is an attitude which also helps in developing a healthy sense of detachment. Solving problems by looking at them objectively and not reactively will instil a feeling of calm and steadiness and make a more agreeable person of you. The next time you have a problem, think of it as a speed-breaker. Facing it calmly and gently will prove to be the break you need to make your life smoother and happier.</p>