Nederlands: De “Philosophiae Naturalis Principia Mathematica” van Isaac Newton in de “John Rylands Library” in Manchester, Engeland (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Isaac Newton published one of the most important books in the history of science today in 1867, Philosophiae Naturalis Principia Mathematica, or “Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy.” What did Newton have to teach us about personal relationships? Simply, relatively speaking.
“For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction,” Newton said. What does this mean? Every time someone is nasty to us, our tendency is to be back at them, nasty to nasty. It’s a matter of physics.
But we do have the power, contrary to natural laws, to change. We can respond with grace and dignity, no matter what the other person’s action is. We can zip the lip instead of flinging it back.
We can recognize our personal power to make this day a page in our best chapter. We are not subject to all the forces of nature.
Actually the clue is in the quote: ‘For every action, there is an equal and OPPOSITE reaction,’ so if someone is nasty you must be kind by return. If somebody shouts You whisper. It can carry the same energy – just in its opposite form. You got me thinking again – I like that!
1peter 2:22,23
Are you my mother’s missing daughter, Diana? She would be clapping for you, applauding this post. (I agree with it, too, but this was so much her basic principle–even now with the dementia–that it seems you and she must have discussed it.)
Maybe I was channeling your mother when I wrote the piece! I’m glad that she would have agreed with me. Thanks, Marilyn, for this. It’s a simple formula.