A couple of weeks ago, a father of two of my junior students approached me in the middle of my class to talk to me. I stopped the class for a minute and walked towards him to see what he wanted. "What is this thing with the Success Journals? Why do I have to pay for them for my kids," he demanded.
"Have you had a chance to take a look at one?" I replied quietly.
"No, he said. But c’mon, can I pay less for them?" he asked.

I looked at him for a second and thought about how he never comes to see his kids and has no idea the benefits our program is providing for his kids.

I didn’t know what to say. I kept thinking to myself for a couple of more seconds and finally I told him "of course, you may have them for free." As his face lit up with a big smile. I thought to myself with surprise: I know this feeling. I’ve had this feeling before.

That feeling was "I got away with it. Yes. I did it. I won." As he walked away towards his brand new Mercedes, I was still thinking to myself " I will never treat another person the same way this gentleman just treated me. Does he really think that he is getting away with this? Is this way of being really serving him? I know that I have no control over this person or anybody else for that matter, but I do have control over my own life and the way I choose to be with people. I understand that I can’t lie to people. When you lie, people pretend to agree with statements you make, going along with them looking as if they believe you. However, most of the time they know the truth, or at least the fact you are lying to them.

It was amazing that this gentleman walked away from me with such a great feeling, not knowing or caring about the huge withdrawal he took with him -- from my emotional bank account.

I’ve had had many experiences dealing with people who want to get away with something. Specially something for free. Coming from the Persian culture, I have had first hand experience with these sort of things.

I wonder about these people. I wonder about the culture. One of the hardest things I have ever had to do was to re-examine my upbringing and to challenge every point of reference that I have accepted as a young child.

I remember clearly dueling over the following question:

The answer was simple: The same thing I’ve always had.