The Second Arrow
The Second Arrow
In life, pain is unavoidable. Someone hurts me. Someone lies. A plan fails. That first arrow strikes, and it stings.
But then comes the second arrow—the one I fire at myself. The endless replaying of the moment. The anger. The bitterness. The story I tell myself long after the wound was made.
The first arrow is not my choice. The second one is. And it always cuts deeper than the first.
I can’t stop pain from happening, but I can stop myself from living inside it forever. I can refuse to add more suffering to what has already happened.
Let the first arrow hurt, then let it go. Don’t pick up the bow against yourself.
“Pain is inevitable, but suffering is optional.” – Haruki Murakami