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Raine’s friend has been calling up every week to invite her to some church event. It’s quite clear that this girl will not take no for an answer even though Raine has explained to her several times that we’re Buddhists.

She promises Raine that it will be fun and that she’ll really have a good time. Raine used to rush to the phone whenever it rings. These few weeks, she’s been shunning the phone and getting Skye to screen her calls.

I wish she would just stop calling, Raine said, is it because I don’t sound serious enough, Mom? I told her some people are just plain persistent, she’ll probably make a good salesperson .

So why don’t you just explain to her why you won’t go? Then she won’t call again, I said.

I already did that at school and on the phone the other day but she just won’t take no for an answer, was her reply.

In my mind, I’m thinking this ‘learning to say no’ is great practice for her. In this case, she’s decided she’s not interested in her friend’s proposition. Now she’s standing up for herself and even figuring out how to get out the situation gently.