Far Reaching.

Hi. All.

We never know how far our influence reaches,

How much our daily deeds and manners count,

Our outlook and our actions are reflected,

If only by a very small amount.

By being mean we can make others petty,

By being just we can make others fair,

If quarrelsome, we draw folk into quarrels,

If generous we help the others share.

And that's the only way the world grows better,

Gradually overcoming greed,

The finest way to wipe out vast dissension,

By every individuals thought and deed.

I found this in Kathleen Partridges "Harmony and Hope". (No copyright).

It seems to me that we can fall into the trap of taking our anger out on the world when we suffer. We do violence to others by expressing our anger and frustrations in public. Not on this site, I hasten to add, because that is what it is for. But it is inappropriate to do it in public. Others could be hurt and upset. We have no right to do this to other people.The man who lays down in front of a lorry during a strike is making his point but is doing the lorry driver a violence. Our loved ones share in our misfortune and most of the time try to help, but we sometimes take it out on them. I have done this and deeply regret it. We are not to blame entirely as "IT" takes over and leads us astray. It is so difficult to feel love for anything when down, especially ourselves, but we should try. Love and understanding will solve everything eventually. Once again, my view, which will not be shared by everyone, but then we are all travelling different paths. Love to all. jonathan.

[Hidden]

Well for me it makes a lot of sense very wise person, Thankyou for sharing because right now I'm upset with a lot of people including myself but of course would never I don't think act upon it I pray not!!!! Xxxx

[hollow]

Hi Jonathan. You know I disagree. The Victorians warped our sense of expression, compounded guilt and used the fear of the Lord to damn us all to a life of internalising our emotions. I don't believe the world owes me anything but as I said in an earlier blog of someone else's. Feck them, feck them all. Anger is not an emotion to be drilled down as that is how it explodes. Anger is an emotion, violence an act. As close as they can be they can also be poles apart. To coin the first line of the above poem... We never know how far our influence reaches.

[fadedlizard in reply to hollow]

I think you're both right: anger expressed externally with no thought for those around us is dangerous but anger not expressed at all is lethal. It leads to all sorts of mental and physical distress and can still burst out, uncontrollably.

The trick is learning how to express anger safely and properly. I'm still learning how to do that!!

[Hidden in reply to hollow]

Hi. hollow. I thought you might!! I entirely agree with you about the Victorians. A bigger bunch of hypocrites never lived. They put women on a pedestal and then went on to refuse them the vote and abuse them. Their sexual inhibitions were amazing. They put covers on piano 'legs' for decency and went out at night looking for I dont know what. Gladstone is said to have slunk out of the back door of No.10 on many occasions! I ran management classes at a clinic I worked at and we used to smash plates and punch cushions so you see I do feel it has to come out. If repressed it implodes, and psychologically, can cause great damage. But I also belive that verbal violence is as devastating as the physical variety. When we 'explode' in public how do we know the person next to us is not on the verge of a breakdown and that our actions could tip them over? As I said, we have no right to do that. Expressing anger in your own home or in a management class is fine, but in public it could be misunderstood and harmful to others. As the last blogger on this said, she could have finished up with trouble with the police. Is it worth it? Violence is violence, whether physical or verbal and should be avoided in public.If we complain about something need we get angry? Perhaps we can agree to differ on this one. Anyway, many thanks for the reply. Best wishes and Love. jonathan.

[hollow]

We will have to agree to disagree on this one Jonathan (the beauty of this site) I do understand what you are saying but as the world doesn't owe us anything we don't owe the world. One can't always be stiff upper lip in the face of an overwhelming emotion. We can't be made to feel responsible for the person standing in the queue in front or behind us, we didn't ask to be blessed with this sickening affliction and I don't feel we should be made to feel guilty if we blow our top on occassion. You can find yourself at your wits end in the most public of places and trying to fight that emotion can be just as harmful and as you have rightly pointed out many a time fighting anxiety is not healthy.

[Hidden]

Thanks hollow. It could be that I have not experienced the depth of suffering that you appear to have had. Ones view changes drastically according to how much one has to put up with in life. Apart from this rotten anxiety I have been blessed in many ways, so am, I suppose, lucky. Anyway, as you say, that is the beauty of this site. It doesn't stop us helping each other and long may it continue. Very best wishes. J.

[hollow]

Far reaching mon ami....