Most of my life I was very meek and quiet and it wasn’t because I was stifling anything.  This was my temperament.  I didn’t really care to have things or be something.  I was very content with very little.  Even my husband would get annoyed with me because I never “wanted” anything.  As I got older this changed.  After menopause it really changed!

I would honestly say, well if I could have something, then I want a large home in the country (way beyond our price range) but I didn’t want things, but actually the lifestyle of the country and having gardens and animals.  People didn’t get me mad unless the tried to put me down.  Being raised very poor, I never had good self-esteem but knew who I was and who’s I was so while I didn’t walk around all arrogant and vain, neither did abuse go over well with me.  I never liked cruel people.  They are such hypocrites.  They would never put up with someone treating them disrespectfully, yet they will do it to others.  Never could figure that out since people who treat others badly really don’t like themselves.  There must be a difference between low self-esteem and self-hatred.

I digress.  The only emotion I have ever had a hard time controlling is rage or what I call righteous indignation.  I don’t get mad to get mad but when I see others treated badly or when it happens to me for no reason, I seriously want to rip off that person’s head and spit down their neck, and that’s putting it mildly.  I also have to say that my anger towards unjust situations actually gives me strength to try and do something about it depending on what it is.

Anger is great fuel for protests and such but I wouldn’t suggest mixing anger with anything that effects your decision-making skills such as alcohol or drugs.  I know those serving time because they couldn’t control their anger and lacked the presence of mind to think out their actions before they acted on them.

Rage can help build things or tear them down depending on how it is acted upon.