Anger
There are a few things that are quite easy in life. One is to get angry !! Anger is an emotion related to ones psychological interpretation of having been wronged or offended or denied or by desiring - right or wrong but not getting it. Desire is the root cause of suffering is age old wisdom and one develops a desire towards something he develops an attachment towards it and if he is denied that he gets extremely angry.
"Anybody can get angry - that is easy, but to be angry with the right person and to the right degree and at the right time and for the right purpose and in the right way - that is not in every body's power and is not easy" is a quote from Aristotle. A small story to illustrate how anger can be handled and put to use.
The grandson living in Mumbai had gone to see his rich grandfather living in Ooty. The grandfather was one of the richest men of that town and had a large estate consisting of several buildings, large farm, livestock, equipment etc.... The grandfather was in his pink of health and sported a smiling face radiating warmth and happiness which reflected inner peace and contentment. The grandson in his mid teens enjoyed his summer vacation in his grandfather's estate as always, was curious to know as to why his grandfather was always walking briskly around his large estate very often during the day. How much ever the grandson would ask the grandfather he always would get a reply that it is "grandfathers greatest secret !!" The brisk walking did not stop for the grandfather and the determination to know the secret did not stop for the grandson !! However the grandfather relented one day and went on to tell about the reason why he was walking round his estate thereby sharing his secret.
About 3 decades back when the grandfather was in his twenties he was a very highly irritable man with a hot temperament. He would get angry for the smallest thing. While he had aspirations of becoming rich and though was working hard his bad temper caused by his short fuse would make him lose his job in a matter of a few days. It was not that he did not know his job and not because he was working for less hours in a day but it was because of his reaction to incidents that caused him to get angry and yell at people. Result was that at the end of the the day he was without a job. On one instance when he got extremely angry he walked around his house a few times and found to his amazement that his anger had largely come down. It was his moment of truth. He realized that a few minutes of determined silence with brisk walking and not responding to events and situations could actually help him respond to any situation in a much better way. He also understood while his aspirations of becoming a rich man was on one side his house was so small when he walked a few strides each time he was able to complete coming round his house. He realized how small his house was and thought about it for a long time. At the end of his thinking he came to a conclusion that anger is a luxury which he could not afford. Anger stood on his way to becoming a rich man. That day he wrote with a crayon on a chart of paper "Anger is a luxury that i cannot afford" and stuck it on one of the walls inside his house. The result was that whenever he got angry the local people saw this man running round his house. His earnestness and vigour enabled him to stick on with a job and was able to buy his adjacent house when it came for sale. A few more houses and a farm and many more houses and he became the richest man in that locality. His brisk walk did not stop even after his acquiring large extent of land. The grandfather ended his story there and smiled at his grandson and said that it was Grandfather's greatest secret.
The grandson paused for a few minutes and asked his grandfather if he had achieved what he wanted to achieve why is he still running around his estate? The grandfather smiled and replied that it was because of his "gratitude" for the profound realization which had converted his negative energy (anger) into a motivational mindset he was walking around his estate and wanted to stay that way.. My heart swells in response to the bounties i have been given and by walking round my estate i realize how big my estate is and what more is required than a good family, wealth and health and whenever i think about it i walk around conveying my "acknowledgement" to all who have helped me to reach where i have reached and that was my "Purpose" in life.
Whenever we are confronted by a negative emotion like anger, greed, fear, hatred etc... we have to place it side by side with the Purpose in life - a happy family, inner peace, contentment, good health, wealth creation etc... and decide for ourselves which is better. Anger may cause blood pressure and create more adrenaline than needed. Anger will have physical and mental consequences.Since the negative emotions are not going to aid us in formulating a good future we may as well be aware of the negative emotions when they creep in and consciously decide to get rid of it from our system and move forward in life.
So my dear friends, Wish you all the best in realizing the Purpose of your Life and achieving your goals and aspirations. I hope you are not angry with me.....