I am going to do something
really hard right now… which is to make a confession. I confess that sometimes I get angry and lose my
temper. That’s a hard thing to admit because I’m normally a very positive
person with a great outlook on life who wakes up happy every day. So I don’t
lose my temper very often. But the fact that I do get angry sometimes and raise
my voice towards someone, is totally unacceptable. I know we are all human and
make mistakes and everyone needs to vent once in a while, but I don’t want to keep
making the mistake of getting angry at another person, especially a loved one.
So what can I do about it?
As I read that last sentence
above, a thought occurred to me. We
are all human - so therefore we all make mistakes – so maybe that’s an
important point to consider! About two weeks ago someone got angry at me in a
parking lot when I made a simple mistake. I didn’t do anything wrong on
purpose, I simply got distracted and caused the other person a minor problem. I
felt bad when I got yelled at, but the truth is there’s a huge difference
between making an honest mistake and purposely doing something wrong.
Looking back, I can see that I
myself have also gotten angry at someone when quite often it was probably just
an honest mistake on their part. At
the time, I let my emotions get the better of me. If I would have taken time to
step back and given them a chance to explain, I would have seen that there was
no reason for anger. Mistakes are just that, mistakes, and not an indication of
bad intent. However, if someone does try to hurt you on purpose, that’s a whole
different story. I remember teaching my children as they were growing up, don’t
judge others unless you want to be judged and never throw the first punch. But
if someone throws a punch at you or your friend, you better stand up to them
and do something about it because we have an obligation to protect ourselves
and the other innocent people around us.
Wait! As I re-read that last
sentence, another thought came to me.
If I truly am a man of faith then I have an obligation to protect the innocent…
even if it means protecting them from my own anger when they make an honest
mistake. Now that’s two awesome ideas! I need to remember that people are human
and I need to remember that they need our protection. Hey…. Maybe an old dog
can still learn something new!
Footnote: Easter Sunday, April 16th, happened to be
my 62nd birthday. Surrounded by my crazy, fun-loving, wonderful
family as we vacationed at a mountain-top home in Lake Arrowhead, I was
reminded how they are so very, very precious to me. So, on Monday, April 17th,
I got down on my knees and made a vow to God to never raise my voice in anger
again. Will it be a hard vow to keep? Yes. Is it worth the effort? Absolutely!
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Easter Bunnies spotted at Lake Arrowhead |
Before you give someone a piece of your mind,
make sure you can get by
with what you have left.
~ Anonymous
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