THRESHOLD

"Shut up!", she yelled, with sufficient rage in her tone to pass the message accurately enough not to be mistaken for a friendly command. The succeeding silence was not without much shock, immensely surprised heads stretching from study cubicles, sparse murmurs and attention drawn to one corner of the chilly ground floor of the library. Only one head seemed not to bear any expression deposited from the one-and-a-half second sound three seconds ago which had rapidly changed the mood of the room; her's. Her focus was fierce, guarded with palms on both sides of her head; she needed every drop of it which she had just gone the mile to secure. Whether that was uncalled-for, insensitive or totally manner-less would be resolved later. No one confronted her then; they either lacked courage or information. Her reaction therefore remained puzzling to almost everyone till the staff, identified by the school ID Card hung over his neck, walked in.

"I just couldn't take it anymore!", she explained. Her tone was lighter though laden with ample emotion as she swerved into a chronological account of the moments afore on the librarian's request. The library was the only place that held a promise for quiet study for students of her kind on the campus on such busy weekdays. Exams had begun for some and it soon would for others. For her, it was her finals. "These people. Same thing. Every time!" she continued, stretching out her slender hands but vaguely pointing to any particular person as she went on. Her frustration was understood by most who kept an ear for the ongoing explanation while the lad at whom she stared and to whom she spoke managed to show only little expression as he listened. Soon after, she was done. "I understand, but you didn't have to be that loud", he queried after a brief sigh. There was a brief pause then "I'm sorry, it was just so annoying and frustrating". "It's okay, just keep it silent from now on, okay?", he said mildly. And turning away from her, he said again, in a louder tone "Keep it silent people; you know the rules!" then walked away just as he came.Those few minutes and the brief yell that preceded seemed to have made a lot of difference.The small-statured pretty-looking westerner in her gray pullover could continue her study and the level of noise that had triggered her reaction never surfaced again, at least not for the next four hours.

"We all have our limits, Luke" said Kelly as they walked down the corridor leading out of the library complex. The gentle-looking, tall, African guy walking beside her responded with a smile. She noticed it and added "I know, I overreacted or something but I didn't really mean to be rude or anything ...". "I know!" interrupted Luke. "I understand. It's okay sweetie", he added, pulling her closer to him and giving a peck somewhere close to the forehead. She knew he meant it- and he actually did- even though he hardly knew that side of her before their relationship. Before, she was only a soft-spoken, seemingly smart, shapely, blond classmate whom he had found it difficult getting his mind off. But that was then, he knew better now. He knew what could make her feel like the luckiest girlfriend on campus and what could switch her mood. Luke didn't actually see what happened back there though he was also in the library; he was on a different floor; they didn't always study together, but her account of the event was sufficient and the trigger qualified for the latter. "We all have our limits, baby" he said. Kelly smiled, flung her arms across his waist where she would keep it for the rest of the walk and they walked on. They were a cute couple. But Luke's decision not to query her for the unladylikeness wasn't just a cute move , it was wise. He had his limits too.

In fact we all do. I believe there is always that point that marks a transition, "the starting point for a new state or experience" in attitude or behaviour of both animate and inanimate things on this earth and it manifest in different ways. It could be that point when you just wanna scream your fury out into the air; that point where you stop being you and snap into another you; that point when you 'tear your shirt' and make up your mind to 'face it' head-on; or that point when your dam of discipline can seemingly no longer hold back the urge to shut-up the reckless word-hurling mouth before you with the fling of an arm. Otherwise, it could be that moment you decide to let-go someone or something you love for the better despite how hard for you, unfair to the other and unnecessary to others it may seem; or the moment you realize your repeated failure is no defeat and rise to challenge the uncertainty of success like you've never done before; or the moment you begin to "flee" from certain encounters instead of risking another fall under the pretense that you would "overcome", despite how ludicrous some people may perceive it. It is that moment you realize things just can't afford to remain the same. That is the point...the Threshold.

What matters is not whether or not we could be bent till we snap - because we all could - or how we ought to react at snap-points - because we are all different - but the nature of our plasticity as visible from our thresholds, its manifestation and the events it ushers. This differs from person to person and from issue to issue. Certain people are more tolerant than others on certain issues than on others. Some have so trained or been trained that their thresholds on many matters have been pushed too far away to be reached by everyday odds and people (possibly why extreme measures such as in interrogation and torture are employed sometimes to 'break' suspects into giving away themselves or others), others are just that way by nature. There however, exist a breed that would never snap even at the face of 'fatal' triggers. Though this is uncommon, it is possible and sometimes a necessary skill to possess. But considering the average individual, every human would break if bent hard enough; that point is his threshold and it usually ushers an unusual phase, response or reaction which differs too. For Kelly, it was a loud "shut-up!" for a noisy library; for the guy in a relationship thorned by too many heartbreaking ups and downs, it could be a sudden 'it's-over-ish' statement or attitude to his partner;for the simple-hearted friend whose generousity has been taken for granted too often, it may come as a sudden display of cynicism and distrust.

We sure cannot and are not expected to know every one we see or meet so precisely as to predict their every move and reaction. However, there are certain truths we must not fail to keep in mind. Having noted that people have limits and it differs, while relating and interacting we must learn them and observe their tolerance level and threshold reaction on various issues so as not to mistakenly step too hard on their toes or be blown away by their 'explosion' even when we could predict they had had a little too much. Friends, colleagues and even strangers could act or react - and do strange, extreme and incredibly unbelievable things - in ways we never had imagined if pushed hard enough.

While we note that positive thresholds and extremes also exist, we must be more conscious about the negative ones as the results go accordingly. The results of negative triggers could be fatal to relationships. Words said and wrongs done may be forgiven but hardly forgotten. Distrust and silent hatred could be planted in hearts and would remain even if they never grow. Regret, plenty of explanation, apology, and lots of time would often go in in attempt to fix such results , however, with no guarantee things could be fixed back to exactly how they were before. So be warned!

For us, we must look into ourselves too. How easily do we break when triggered negatively and how much would it take to push us past our positive thresholds? That, indeed, defines reasonable our personality, strengths and weaknesses. Would we stick with a wrong or an unpleasant act or path until something (event) very humiliating or terribly heart-breaking gives us a push or would little experiences and friendly advice be enough to spur us to take the challenge to do the right and necessary? Are we very sensitive to offenses so much that our wall of reactions is usually only a few insulting words, hits below the belt, and disappointments behind us? Your threshold speaks a lot and means a lots too. Beware!

It's a two-way thing and matters much. It may be instinctive but could be observed, understood and kept in check. It is a critical point; the Threshold. Be aware!