Everybody's Got a Gripe

All morning I have been looking at quotes about anger. There are some really good ones by the likes of Winston Churchill, Benjamin Franklin, and (of course) Confucius. But the one that sticks out the most is a quote by Ralph Waldo Emerson. He says, "Anger is an uncontrollable feeling that betrays what you are when you are not yourself. Anger is that powerful internal force that blows out the light of reason. Know this to be the enemy: it is anger, born of desire." My mind and spirit wholeheartedly agree with Emerson. Anger is the enemy, right? So why are we as a species so apt toward the 'emotion' (if that's truly what it is) of anger? I'm not sure, but what I am sure of is that I'm pissed off today. I woke up this morning with a big 'Fuck You' stamped on my forehead and everyone seems intent on agitating my delicate condition. I keep asking myself the same question again and again: Why are you angry? The only reply I get is the echo of another crabby customer griping in my ear or a phone call about something I personally took the initiative to mess up. In an effort to take control of my madness I have decided to contact the one person I think may have some insight into this conundrum: my mother.

Lunch starts at 12:30, so I go out to my car and make the most important phone call of the day. I tell my mom that I'm angry for no apparent reason. Little things are getting on my nerves. Everyone is bitching and moaning and I don't really want to hear it. I'm one coffee spill away from snapping like a firecracker . . . and she (per usual) puts the whole thing in perspective. You see, what I didn't think about was the fact that for the past two weeks I've been fighting off some sort of respiratory ailment. Since I came down with my nasty affliction, I've begun each morning with a nice large dose of cold medicine. And it's not just any old cold medicine, it's one of the more popular over-the-counter drugs that contains pseudoephedrine, a decongestant that has a reputation for causing side effects such as mood swings, loss of appetite, anxiety, etc. Now, you may be wondering, what's mom's miracle remedy for cold medicine withdrawal? Drink more coffee. The caffeine is a stimulant and, if anything, will keep your mind from the groggy depths of sleepy despair.

The question of the hour remains, what does it all mean? Emerson, anger, cold-medicine, motherly wisdom. Where does my mild irritation fit in a world marred with violence? The answer: I have no idea. Anger seems to be a driving force for so many actions in our world. Whether it be war or advocacy, everyone is so damn irate. What my own experience with anger re-affirms is what researchers, dieticians, and doctors have been saying for years. The substances we put into our bodies (whatever they may be) have a direct effect on our physical and emotional well-being. So I can do one of two things. Either I can start listening to my body, creating an impeccable record of all the things I ingest throughout the day and the various ways they affect me, or . . . I can lighten up and realize that my problem, along with everyone elses, is that we take everything too damn seriously.

Note: Nothing I write should EVER be confused with actual medical advice and I apologize for making two or more vast and sweeping generalizations about the human condition.