Teh tawar: the analogy/theory

Here's a theory I pulled while in a car, one night.

The analogy.
A man eats his dinner quietly, even smiling between the bites and after he wipes his mouth, he's served desserts. He eats them happily. As he wishes to wash down his throat, he sips on the tea and that moment his face suddenly changed. Eyebrows knit in a fury, he says, "This taste like mud!"

A friend who's dining with him contradicts him, saying it is perfectly sweet albeit the dinner was a bit salty. The friend added however he didn't mind.
On the contrary, the man minds. The man jumps up in anger, shouts about, kicked the stool away and storms out off the room. Thus the evening is ruined.


I have come to terms with myself that most times in life, humans can have very different wants and needs from one another. The man for example cannot stand a bitter/'unsweet' tea, which his friends perfectly accepts. The friend however thought the dinner was salty but was able to tolerate it.

As in life, sometimes we meet a person with all the great characteristics and virtues that begged us to do nothing but admire him/her, yet for one infallible trait of him/hers (which is normal for a human), the admiration and feelings are polluted. We no longer feel the same.
The friend instead felt the dinner was a bit salty but tolerable. Likewise in life, someone else might find the trait that appeared to us unfavourable, acceptable. He will still find faults with the person but in the end he either considers them tolerable or willing to accept it.

There are occasions where we, ourselves, can change and be that friend; in the sense tolerating other people's unfavourable trait. However until I am sure he can, my suggestion to the man is to completely avoid the same dining, or at least leave before the tea is served.



p.s. I drink iced tea, mostly.