Angry at the World
By Bret Burquest
Someone
recently asked me if I was angry at the world. I may be continually at odds
with the world but anger is an ugly emotion I choose to avoid.
If
an apple fell out of a tree and hit me on the head I wouldn’t allow it to anger
me. I have no control over the falling of an apple. The best I can do is to try
not to be standing in the wrong place at the wrong time.
The
same is true of any harm or injustice inflicted upon me by the rest of the
world. I have no control over the forces of nature or the actions of humanity.
The only thing I have control over is myself.
This
is a harsh planet containing predatory animals, poisonous reptiles, voracious
insects, lethal viruses, severe climates, lightning, volcanoes, earthquakes and
misguided human beings who are driven to control, plunder and otherwise make
life miserable for everyone else.
Those
who seek to control others insist on a rigid set of rules to satisfy their
individual sense of right and wrong. They require conformity on everything from
what you can drink or smoke or shoot up your arm to the height of the grass in
your front lawn. And if you refuse to conform you must be punished. These are
the people most active in government, continually creating more and more rules
for the rest of us to obey. Invariably, they exceed the bounds of common sense
and decency. One person’s set of rules is another person’s imprisonment.
Some
of these control freaks carry their cause way too far. They believe their way
is the only way and are willing to annihilate anyone who doesn’t feel the same
way, even if they must perish in the process. These zealots will shoot people
at random or blow up buses or fly airplanes into tall office buildings in order
to make the world a better place. However, making the world a better place by
making the world a worse place isn’t exactly a positive course of action. One
person’s philosophy is another person’s pile of gibberish.
The
world is also occupied by selfish greed-heads who never seem to have enough
material wealth and plunder from others in order to maintain a lifestyle they
have neither earned nor deserved. They come in all shapes and sizes, from
corporate executives to cat burglars. They take from others by whatever means
necessary with no regard for the welfare of others. One person’s illicit gain
is another person’s loss.
Then
there are those inconsiderate jerks who thoughtlessly
plow through life as if no one else exists. They come in all shapes and sizes,
from housewives to hooligans. They drive carelessly or tear around in their
ATVs and Jet Skis or toss their cigarettes anywhere or litter the environment
or make too much noise with their loud music or destroy things for kicks or
whatever. One person’s recklessness is another person’s nightmare.
If
life were perfect, it would be called heaven. Instead we call it earth. The
world is a perilous place full of people disturbing the tranquility and/or
imposing their will upon others. Being angry only adds to the turmoil.
Most
people deal incorrectly with anger.
Some
people try to get even but correcting a wrong with a wrong is simply another
wrong.
Others
believe the anger should be released through harmless outlets such as sports or
beating a pillow. However, venting anger in a harmless direction is still
indulging in anger.
The
proper way to deal with anger is not to get angry in the first place.
If
some scumbag disrupts your life, don’t get angry. When you become angry, the
scumbag wins. He wants you to be angry and bring you down to his level to
justify his existence. He gets a thrill out of making you react, thereby
controlling you. If you rise above it and remain noble, you’ve won. You’re in
control, not the scumbag.
If
an apple falls on your head, don’t get angry. You’re in control, not the apple.
It’s
easy to be at odds with an imperfect world but being angry at the world is an
exercise in futility, making it that much more imperfect.
You
can’t change the world -- you can only change yourself.
Forgive
the apple and move on.
* * *
Bret Burquest is
an award-winning columnist and author of four novels. Contact
bret@centurytel.net
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