When an unwelcome situation emerges for them, highly peaceful people create a space, a pause. In that brief moment they adjust their thinking and emotions so that act in a skillful way. Actor and martial arts expert Chuck Norris relates a story told to him by a friend who is also a high level martial artist. This man was at a stop sign waiting for a break in traffic that would allow him to cross a major street safely. The person in the car behind him was impatient and kept honking is horn. Finally losing patience, that driver got out and began to threaten Norris’ friend if he didn’t "find the gas pedal quickly." Norris’ friend paused, then rolled down the car window and said, “You want to fight. Okay, but I have a bad back and you will have to help me out of the car.” The angry man stared briefly, shook his head in confusion and returned to his car.
Norris says: “Luckily for the impatient driver, the situation had been defused by humor. He had no idea how close he had come to being thrashed.”