The One Who Kept Her Peace Amid the Storm of Insults

The fluorescent lights in the logistics company's office glowed white and cold, reflecting off the constantly flickering computer screens. The phones rang shrilly without pause, mingled with the clatter of keyboards and shouts echoing from the intercoms. The air was thick with tension, as if every breath carried the gunpowder of endless arguments.

At desk number seven, a young woman sat with her back straight, her eyes gently closed for a brief moment between two calls. Her name was Lan, a devout Buddhist who often visited Vien Quang Pagoda to listen to dharma talks and practice meditation. Meanwhile, at the desks around her, new employees were struggling with their emotions. One young man, his face flushed red, gripped the receiver with trembling hands, his voice hoarse from trying to explain, only to be cut off by vulgar words from the other end of the line. He gritted his teeth, slammed the receiver down after the call ended, then stood up abruptly and quit that very afternoon. This was not a rare case; most new employees lasted only three days before being knocked down by the storm of insults.

Lan smiled softly, a smile of remarkable calm amid all that noise. She remembered what her teacher, Thich Chan Quang, had once taught: "Practicing the Buddha's path is difficult, but it is precisely that difficulty which opens the door to wisdom." She understood that if she chose the easy path — letting herself be carried away by emotions, losing her temper, or falling into despair — she would never discover her true worth. Instead, she chose the harder path: taming her own mind.

A new call came in. Lan took a deep breath, steadied her breathing, and answered with a gentle, calm voice:

"Yes, this is Lan speaking. I apologize for the delay. May I have your order number so I can check the status of your shipment?"

The other end of the line exploded at once. A middle-aged man's voice, shrill and aggressive:

"Do you have any idea how much money I'm losing with my shipment stuck at the port? What am I paying you for? If this isn't resolved within the hour, I'll sue your boss, I'll destroy your company! Useless!"

Cruel words, even heavy profanity, shot straight into Lan's ears. Normally, anyone would feel their heart tighten, blood rushing to the head, wanting to shout back or burst into tears from the humiliation. But Lan was different. She clearly felt the turbulence in her body — a wave of anger rising — but instead of letting it sweep her away, she used her breath and mindfulness to observe it. She told herself: "This is karma, this is a test of the mind. A person of true worth is one who keeps the mind at peace."

After listening to the full outpouring of anger, Lan replied with extraordinary patience:

"Sir, I truly understand your frustration. In reality, the customs process is complicated, and I am only the person receiving information, not the final decision-maker. However, I will record your concerns and report them urgently to the department that can resolve this as quickly as possible. Please kindly wait for our response within the next thirty minutes."

The man on the other end fell silent for a moment, seemingly taken aback by Lan's calm and professional attitude. Finally, he grumbled a few more words and hung up. Lan breathed a sigh of relief, noted down the issue, and forwarded it to the relevant department. Throughout nine hours of work, she heard nothing but insults and complaints, yet she never argued back or allowed her mind to be stained by anger.

As a result, while her colleagues resigned one after another, Lan remained steadfast. She became the company's employee of the year, her photo displayed in frames throughout the office. The board of directors saw leadership potential in her and offered her a promotion to a management position, with higher pay and greater authority.

But Lan declined. Her reason astonished everyone. She shared with her boss:

"Sir, if I become a manager, my schedule will be packed, and I will no longer have time to visit the pagoda each day to pay respects to the Buddha, listen to dharma talks, and sit in meditation. For me, peace of mind is more precious than any worldly honor. I would like to continue working as a call center agent, so I can keep my habit of stopping by the pagoda near my home on the way back, lighting a stick of incense, sitting in meditation for a while, and only then going home to rest. That is my true happiness."

Lan's story spread throughout the company, becoming a vivid lesson in the power of meditative concentration. It proves that in a society ruled by greed, hatred and delusion, those who keep a pure mind do not merely survive — they shine. They are not provoked by desire, not drawn into selfish conflicts, and because of this, they maintain their balance, helping to reduce the turmoil in the workplace and in society as a whole.

The Meaning of the Story

A person's true worth lies not in money, position, or appearance, but in whether their mind is calm or agitated. Those with a restless mind are easily angered, prone to wrongdoing, and provoked by lust and selfishness, leading to conflict and suffering (dukkha). In contrast, those who practice meditative concentration and keep a pure mind develop patience, tolerance, forgiveness, and deep understanding. Choosing the difficult path of practice — meditative concentration — is choosing the path of wisdom, which helps a person rise above petty temptations to attain peace and ease, and to create lasting value for themselves and their community.

Compiled from a dharma talk by Venerable Thich Chan Quang.