Charlotte, NC

I read where, in Wade Shoals, SC, a bus driver taped the mouths of eight children shut when they misbehaved on a school bus. Then I read (tragically, again) of some “man” beating his wife senseless because … well, who cares what the reason is? It’s STUPID! Of course, there was the “drive-by” a few days ago that cost a youngster his life.
These things happen, not just in the Charlotte area but in Anytown, U.S.A as well. And, while those who commit these crimes are (rightfully) scorned by society, they uncover something that we all must understand:

We’re all capable of losing our composure to the extent that (while probably not as nefarious at those mentioned) we can cause emotional or physical harm to others as well as ourselves! Whether it’s something as simple as a long check-out line at Food Lion, a car that won’t start on a cold morning off Tyvola Rd. (yes, I had that happen!) or as complex as a tremendous argument between husband and wife (nope. I’m divorced), we all “lose our cool” occasionally.

Now, before any damage (to ourselves or others, including pets) is done, we’ve got to learn how to handle our anger. That means, re-learning something many folks had lost years before: PATIENCE!

There are three questions you can ask yourself before you react to a specifically-tense situation:

• First, is this situation really something to lose myself, my loved one, my dignity and possibly my freedom over? Or is it something that, with a little time, will “cool down” anyway?
  We have to realize that our anger is usually the result of impulse; the first hour after a traumatic situation occurs is usually when most of us have the “knee-jerk” reaction that causes us (or others) pain or heartache. I get my feathers ruffled sometimes for whatever reason, but I’ve learned not to react to whatever it is for at least that 60-minute period.
• If over 40, I’ve been through/will go through nearly 5,000 (on average) tense situations since I turned 18 — and have survived (and moved ahead in spite of) them all. Why should this situation turn me into an ogre?
• And, finally, with about 300 million people in this country (most of whom I’ve never met yet) why let this person “box me in” and get me upset?

If you’re feeling tense and about to jump down someone’s throat, remember: There’s always someone you can “talk it out” with, whether it be through our Mental Health hotline, a sensible friend or manager, or even online!

Charlotte, we’re known as a friendly, laid-back (though progressive) community. We have friends, co-workers, and more opportunity than you can shake a stick at. It’s time we learned a bit of patience to calm feathers, ease our (and others’) burdens, and move ahead …