We can use the pain of our past as a catapult propelling us forward. As the saying goes, 'the best revenge is a life well-lived.' So, the most gratifying way to spite all those who tried to harm me during my childhood is to say, 'Look at me now; I'm speaking to Vikas Shah, 50 years later.'

War teaches you that there are many different types of people, good and bad, and you have to understand that good and evil co-exist, and it's up to you to calculate your way through the world, understanding where people are rooted.

Yes today sucked, but come back tomorrow, I'll meet you there. That means the world to somebody who doesn't feel like getting out of bed that day.

The number one thing is misread intentions. You assume someone has ill intent toward you and you don't check in on those intentions. Then a narrative forms in your head, and that's when you start spiralling.

When you're involved in conflict, you're not sane. You may start out being sane, and in those early stages it's certainly possible to mediate and arbitrate. Using those tools you often end up cutting the baby in half – you give a little, I give a little, you give a little more, I give a little more, and suddenly everyone is miserable.