It is very easy in our world to get angry.
Anger is a natural phenomenon and it is accompanied by a host of diverse physiological reactions... in effect, being angry is similar to being afraid and let's be honest, in today's world we all have a lot to be afraid of and about.
Between climate change, wars, instability, and a lack of feeling secure in even the safest areas we all carry some low-grade stress with us at all times... sometimes, it only takes something small to set this off and make us... angry.
What usually happens to me is a host of different factors combine together with a single trigger point, something small that really isn't that big a deal, but seems to be a great injustice at the time, leading to acting in ways I normally wouldn't. Now don't get me wrong, I'm a very calm person and even when I am very upset, usually only those who know me well can tell that anything is wrong at all, but it feels terrible.
I hate being angry because it is irrational.
The trigger point that sets off most of us to being upset and angry is usually another person in our lives, often someone we care about, but sometimes just a random stranger who we feel has slighted us in some manner. That's the key there though... Very few people out there do things to make others angry (there are some though, but only a very, very small minority). Usually that checkout clerk that tells you that you have one item too many in your cart to use the express lane doesn't want to make you mad. People often do things out of their own self-interest, not in the interest of hurting others. That lady at the checkout counter may not want to be there, or maybe she's having a bad day, or maybe she just let someone else slide for having one item too many, only to be burnt by her decision.
We have the gift of knowledge and articulation, but we all have so much trouble articulating our why's... Even to ourselves. Why am I angry? Why is this a big deal?
Or maybe the issue isn't with articulation... maybe the issue is with reflection. Maybe we all need to regularly just stop, take a deep breath. Especially on those days when we've maybe had just a little bit less rest than is good for us, or on those days when we feel a bit more stressed out than normal.
Anger is a driving emotion, and a negative one. When a person is angry, they cannot think about the spiritual world, they cannot connect with the Divine, the material world and the cause of the anger become a consuming force. Anger is like a fire, spiritual search is like water. Fire has it's uses and is important to have, but one shouldn't bring it too close. Water on the other hand gives life, it suffuses our being, it is in our every cell. Too much time in the fire burns away the water and leaves only ashes behind.
Hydration and a thick skin are what is needed.
No comments:
Post a Comment