More than seventy years ago, a young Norwegian man crossed the ocean to France to apply to the prestigious Paris Conservatory. During the exam, although he did his utmost to perform at his best, the examiners still did not accept him.
Penniless, the young man went to a bustling street not far from the conservatory, tightened his belt, and began playing his violin under a banyan tree. He played one piece after another, attracting countless passersby to stop and listen. Eventually, hungry and exhausted, he held out his violin case, and the onlookers generously placed money inside.
A hooligan contemptuously threw some coins at the young man's feet. The young man looked at the hooligan, then calmly bent down, picked up the money, and handed it back, saying, "Sir, your money has dropped on the ground."
The hooligan took the money, threw it at the young man's feet again, and arrogantly said, "This money is yours now—you must take it!"
The young man looked at the hooligan once more, then bowed deeply and said, "Sir, thank you for your generosity! Earlier, you dropped your money, and I bent down to pick it up for you. Now my money has dropped on the ground—please be so kind as to pick it up for me!"
The hooligan was stunned by the young man's unexpected response. Eventually, he picked up the money from the ground and placed it into the young man's violin case, then slunk away in shame.
Among the crowd, one pair of eyes had been silently observing the young man—the examiner from earlier. He took the young man back to the conservatory and ultimately admitted him.
This young man was named Bill Sardin, who later became a well-known musician in Norway. His representative work is "Hold Up Your Chest."
When we fall to the lowest point in life, we often face unwarranted contempt; when we are struggling desperately for survival, we may encounter those who trample on our dignity without mercy. Reacting with direct confrontation is our instinct, but it often only makes the ignorant and unkind more vicious. Instead, we should respond with reason and protect our dignity through a mindset of tolerance. Then you will discover that no evil can stand firm in the face of justice.
Bend down—and pick up your dignity!