And finally we settle down. All of us do. The calm, even-toned equanimous types. And the effervescent, animated, ebullient variety. We weigh our options, the odds as it were; narrow our eyes, take a deep breath purse our lips and then, make peace with the situation. It is as it is, we tell ourselves, and like much else that is unsavoury albeit around, we need be "wise" here too. And accept. Not grumpily but stoically and go on as though nothing happened.

And nothing does happen. For the above is hallucination. It never takes place. We merely block the unpleasant. Distance ourselves from it — person, situation or experience. And believe we've risen above. Made our peace. Endured without resistance… Zen masters all. Only, we are lying. And tragically, to ourselves. Turning your face from the disagreeable is non-acceptance. Not, acceptance. Not Zen. Not achievement.