Anger
by Teach Peace Community on 10/13/13
Anger
There once was a
little boy who had a bad temper. His Father gave him a bag of nails and told
him that every time he lost his temper, he must hammer a nail into the back of
the fence.
The first day the
boy had driven 37 nails into the fence. Over the next few weeks, as he learned
to control his anger, the number of nails hammered daily gradually dwindled
down. He discovered it was easier to hold his temper than to drive those nails
into the fence. Finally the day came when the boy didn't lose his temper at
all. He told his father about it and the father suggested that the boy now pull
out one nail for each day that he was able to hold his temper.
The days passed and
the young boy was finally able to tell his father that all the nails were gone.
The father took his son by the hand and led him to the fence. He said, 'You
have done well, my son, but look at the holes in the fence. The fence will
never be the same.
When you say things
in anger, they leave a scar just like this one. You can put a knife in a man and
draw it out. But it won't matter how many times you say I'm sorry, the wound
will still be there. A verbal wound is as bad as a physical one. Remember that
friends are very rare jewels indeed. They make you smile and encourage you to
succeed; they lend an ear, they share words of praise and they always want to
open their hearts to us.
Be slow to anger and cherish your friends.
Teach Peace