Anger Is A Map

Sometimes it feels impossible to let go of anger. It is so easy to fuel it and keep it burning inside. And there may be good reason to be angry. So then it’s easy to justify.

But it feels really bad. And sometimes the ways we imagine releasing it upon others would actually feel really bad too.

And then you feel stuck. What do you do? How do you let it out and let it go without hurting yourself or someone else?

The intensity of anger can also mask what’s actually bothering us. The root cause. So even if we do get it out we might not actually be addressing the real problem.

If we let anger be a dictator it can lead us in all the wrong directions. Fighting. Hurting. Self medicating. But if we let it be a map instead we may find answers and a better path to redemption. To understanding. To compassion.

It’s strange. When you start a fire in the kitchen by accident your first instinct is to put it out. To keep everyone and everything safe. But for some reason when this fire sparks within us we don’t react the same way. We stoke it. That’s something worth reflecting on.

A few good questions to ask are what’s really bothering me? What would make me feel better? What would make me feel worse? The goal isn’t to put out the fire and ignore the underlying issue. And I’m not saying we should never be angry. But instead of being consumed for long periods of time by it, perhaps it’s a tool to know ourselves better. To evolve to a point where what we feel is a spark rather than a flame. A catalyst for growth rather than a reason to get burned.