the slow gait of anger

I find myself waiting 

for the slow gait of anger

to fall dormant.

As I write these lines

it resembles something quieter,

less urgent,

less devout.

Not quite receding altogether,

more like a tamed beast

dozing in the corner.

He wakes to watch me,

turns his head

and closes his everyday eyes.

We can suppress anger and aggression or act it out, either way making things worse for ourselves and others. Or we can practice patience: wait, experience the anger and investigate its nature. - Pema Chodron   (more here)

Comments

[cortnie]

I love Pema - these are wonderful words!

xo
cortnie

[Monica]

man, i don't know if my own anger was ever a slow walker. there seems so little time to redirect it's path. ;)

beautifully said.

[Stephanie]

Thank you for these words, for sharing your truth. I continue reading and re-reading these words, as a lament I feel deep in my own bones right now. xoxo

[Elizabeth]

I feel like my anger is less a slow gait than a boiling inferno. Possibly because I am afraid of anger and think it something to avoid and hide from so I ignore it until it bursts, which is when I first realize that it is present. I am working on acknowledging all my emotions, but some of them are slower going than others.

xo