Anger is a waste of energy and time but...
In my twenties I was quick to anger. Perhaps it was because I had no control over my emotions, perhaps it was because I was too sensitive and took things at heart. I lost friends over it, and abandoned friends because of it. Did I have genuine reason for being angry at any given time? Not really. Today I look back and laugh at the things that made me angry then.Anger is futile, but it can also serve. Here's the deal. Anger can be like fire or water. You can warm a house with fire, you can also destroy the house with fire. You can quench thirst and heat with water, you can also destroy with water. Anger most often is a coverup for pain. When we hurt over something, whatever that something may be, it can be silly or very serious, but that pain can often be expressed by anger. So how about going straight to the pain and dealing with it. Anger is also a reaction we have towards injustices in the world. When it comes from that place, we need to use that anger to become proactive.
I no longer get angry when someone says something nasty to me, that's their issues, I have become a more confident woman and know myself well enough not to be angered by other's remarks and actions. However, I do still get angry when I see people hurting children, abusing them and exploiting them. In this instance Anger should be an emotion that propels us toward right action.
It is good to have a strong reaction like anger when we see evil in the world. Yes, be angry and act on it in a pro-active way to offer solutions. And always remember that true evil is the indifference of good people. For as the saying goes, evil prevails when good people do nothing. When good people don't get angry, and therefore don't voice their concerns, change then does not occur.
This I have learned.
