By Vincent Van Ross

People who are quick to anger repent at leisure. Anger is never a positive trait. In fact, anger gets us into sticky situations more often than not.

Once our anger subsides, we begin to wish we never said or did whatever we said or did! So, it is much better to keep our cool and show a little more patience.

Much of human anger is impulsive. Half the people seem to be in a hurry to get angry. Often, we get angry because we do not even wait for the other person to complete what he is saying. We must be more considerate towards our fellow beings.

Sometimes people deliberately stoke anger in us. They provoke us. If we are mature, we will see through the situation. We will not get provoked. An angry man’s actions and reactions are never sensible. We pawn our senses to the devil when we are angry.

Even when we are wronged unnecessarily, it pays to reason with the other person than react to what is being said. When we react or show anger, we create bitterness and bad blood. Often it results in ugly situations where it becomes a prestige issue as a result of our ego problems. Once we reach that stage, it becomes difficult for either party to apologise. And, it results in prolonged enmity.

I am not saying that we should never get angry or show anger. We should…if the situation demands that we show anger. We should…if our anger is justified. Sometimes anger helps subdue our opponent when he or she is wrong and solves a lot of problems. But, we must take care that such anger is not uncontrolled. We may show anger but we must maintain our cool inside. We should never lose sight of reason.

When angry, count a hundred! This is a proverb. But, it works. Because, by the time we count a hundred, we begin to cool off and good sense begins to prevail on us. By that time, we forget what we were getting angry at.

But, don’t try of angering your child with the idea of helping him or her in learning how to count a hundred!