HATRED CORRODES THE CONTAINER WHICH HOLDS IT

Listening on the radio to the funeral of George H. W. Bush filled me with the reality that a life well-lived is the most valuable gift we take with us as we leave. We all start with a blank slate, and then we write the pages of our book based on what we decide is within our grasp. Some live larger than life and certainly, he was a man who did so. At the end of the day, he is most remembered for the kindness, loyalty, and determination he exemplified!

I believe it was former Senator Alan Simpson, of Wyoming, who said that both often shared stories of their moms, and evidently, both moms had many words of wisdom to share. The one that has stayed with me is the one in the title…”hatred corrodes the container which holds it.” What an incredible metaphor…how large is the body of hatred? Kindness, loyalty, and determination are large, but hatred seems to loom even bigger.

Hatred comes from unresolved anger, I believe, and that has a wonderful flip side to it. Resolving the anger is something we can do. Share your feelings with the one with whom you are angry. Work through it with a confidante who exemplifies empathy and understanding who can help you process why you are holding on to the corrosive matter. Talk with a therapist who can help you take some steps toward making peace. Write a letter expressing your anger and choose to send it or not. Create your own 12-step plan to live without negative energy. Be positive and accept that not everyone is as capable as you in working through their problems so they strike out.

Many who are dealing with health issues feel angry at the disease, the medical community, others who are well, themselves for being vulnerable, or their body for betraying or failing them. Please take that energy and put it to better (and healthier) use. Give of yourself; settle issues; pay it forward; smile more; and resolve to remove the bitter taste of negativity from your mouth. I cannot promise you that you will no longer battle your illness, but I can promise you that others will respond to you with more of a willingness to be supportive. It is human nature to go toward pleasure and away from pain. Hopefully, that lightness you will feel comes from destroying that contaminated corrosive container. None of us needs hatred in our lives…that is one thing upon which we can ALL agree!