Anger’s Gift

“Virtue grows from the graves of our sins.” Matthew D. Eayre

Darkness, demons, sins, regrets. Anger. I believe it was in Othello where Shakespeare says, “… as men in rage strike those that wish them best.”

This year, I’ve been accused of being an “angry person,” because I’m like Mark Twain. “When angry, count four. When very angry, swear.” Except I skip the “count four” part.

I wrote once before on an aspect of anger I discovered along the way. http://openwound.com/child-of-anger/

A lot of times, anger is lamented as being an unfavorable emotion. I do deal with the Othello aspect, yet I am no fan of being considered sharp and scary by my occasional vehemence. The earlier post related to the damage of spilling anger on those under our care.

Some angry people may be abusive shits and we should steer clear of them. But anger, in general, is a signpost of the inner life. It is genuine emotion that is vital to examine.  I’ve seen it come out of good people in tirades of what I would call, hidden love. Sometimes it is a parent, angry at a grown child, just FULL of love for that child’s best interest. Sometimes it is a public servant, FULL of love for a down-trodden soul. No, I’m not totally Pollyanna, I acknowledge that sometimes we are just self-centered and frustrated and blow our tops for stress relief.

For some, I picture it as a pool filled up and filtered with unhealed sadness, hurts, betrayals, guilty feelings and regrets. I believe Larry Crabb called it the “pool of rage when you discover life hasn’t worked out the way you thought it would.” (I’m sorry I read his stuff years ago and don’t pay my editors, so can’t find the proper cite) (Note from editor: I can’t find it either)

These are places where Mr. Eayre’s quote from the first line of this post comes in. My theory is that if we are willing to dive into that pool we will find a treasure of hidden love. In doing so, instead of spitting rage on “those that wish us best,” we can be pouring out love. Showering our people with it. Then “virtue grows,” and blessings instead of curses flow.

John O’Donohue calls beauty, the “illumination” of your soul. And writes, “Be a loving parent to your delinquent qualities.” What is illumination but shining light into dark places? And who doesn’t need a loving parent?

So, I’m trying to think of anger as a signpost. Mine, so I will have the guts to see from where it stems to then be able to bring illumination to my soul. Others, so I will have no fear when I see it arise. Life is complicated, who doesn’t need signposts?
“Evergreens will grow in place of thorn bushes, firs will grow in place of nettles; they will be a monument to the LORD, a permanent reminder that will remain.” Isaiah 55:13
(Matthew D. Eayre can be found on the Facebook page, Poetry of Monsters. Mr. Eayre also writes on www.unevenstreetstudios.com)