It has happened to all of us and none of us like it – being ignored. Someone stands you up or is late for an appointment. You try to get involved in a group conversation but no one is listening. You feel overlooked as someone is chosen instead of you for a promotion. Somehow you […]
Physical symptoms of anger include a racing heartbeat, faster breathing, headaches, stomach aches, frowning, sweating and tensed muscles in fists or jaws. There may be other less obvious behavioural signals such as cold shouldering, withdrawn eye contact and other verbal or negative body language. It is a powerful and deep emotion that can seethe inwardly like a volcano waiting to erupt as pressure builds towards the surface where it issues forth. Once it breaks through, like sulphurous larvae, it is unpredictable and can destroy all in its path. You may not have seen a volcano erupt but the chances are that you have either witnessed anger, been a victim of it or perhaps it is something that you struggle to contain within yourself. How is it best to deal with anger that is directed against you or that you may feel internally? Suppressing it will simply mean it breaks out in another place at another time.
Even the kindest souls can do it and probably we’ve all done it at some time or another – used words carelessly. Rather than thinking first, we speak and then think later. It might be an on-the-spur-of-the-moment quip at someone else’s expense or an outburst of irritation that sends words like heat-seeking missiles and the damage is done. The result? A look of pain on the face of the person receiving it or bringing a sharp repost and a cooling in a relationship as trust feels damaged. Regret will follow but if words are tossed around like matches, eventually they will find something to ignite and a measure of destruction begins. Words are not to be used to harm others as a fencer gone berserk might use a sword lacerating all those around or as lighted matches thrown carelessly. Maybe you’ve been on the receiving end more recently than being the one discharging those sharp words. Either way, reflect a little on the way you’ve given and received words for their impact is considerable.
