MY DECLARATION:
I support peaceful protests. I support and pray for Law enforcement, especially in my county of residence. PO are people too. Many are honest men and women who have dreams and aspirations for their families, just like citizens have. But I do condemn all acts of violence like, murder, looting, destruction of property, vandalizing businesses, fighting with the Police, Police brutally and beating up citizens. So this week, I faced a terrible truth. I momentarily lost all pride to brag about this good Old USA. But as I prayed, a small voice rose up in my heart that we shall rise above this and reclaim the victory that is designed for us and for our children’s children. In times of trouble, my mother would read for us Micah 7:8 “Rejoice not my enemy when I fall, I shall arise.” Jon 10:10 became very real to me. The thief comes not but to steal, to kill and to destroy, Jesus said that He came so that we may have life and have it more abundantly. We all want this abundant life.
Someone once said that A-nger is one letter short of D-anger. In the past weeks we have witnessed internalized anger and danger encapsulated in systemic discrimination, racism and police brutality. This led to the death of a Black man. There is no crime that equals death because death is final. Death is irreversible. The finality and irreversible nature of death makes it a very painful experience. It robs the family of a loved one, especially sudden, unprovoked death as a result of racism. Like me there is a person reading this who knows exactly what it is like to encounter police when a son dies under their watchful eyes, Am just saying there are many incidences that have been filed away but that were not caught on video. It is terrible to be in the hands of men and women who are expected to protect and serve, yet they are the one who delight in the shedding of innocent blood of Black Sons without remorse. It is totally inhumane. It is downright evil. Both Police and civilians each have one life to live. People we all deserve to live to our fullest potential.
ANGER:
I don’t know about you, but we have witnessed in the past the week and currently the extent to which anger can become an outlet of our deepest feelings. We watched the protests as well as the riots by some and wondered. Many people didn’t know what to make of it, so they just watched in silence and fear. We forgot that “A riot is the language of the unheard.” (MLK, Jr). So we watched burning buildings from City to City, even in ATL, people running over people with Police Cars, violence towards Police Officers-beatings, bottles tossed, vehicles becoming weapons used to harm others. There was looting as if we are at war with each other. It reminded me of a time when I was in a Pre-K classroom, sitting crisscross applesauce. That is when some boys and girls wanted to grow up to be police officers. Now that seemed to change. Suddenly, I saw a child on the streets with a placard reading, “Please let me live” Acha niishi.
COURAGE
Anger is a powerful human emotion. However, many would admit with me that COURAGE is a much more powerful emotion than anger. Courage even when faced with great personal risks is what it has taken for our young adults to form a coalition across racial BOUNDARIES and some still in their teenage years to protest. “Every man of humane convictions must decide on the protest that best suits his convictions, but we must all protest.” (MLK, Jr.). It is unbelievable that this is all happening in the midst of a global pandemic. Momentarily, we forgot the daily briefings of COVID-19; momentarily some forgot Social Distancing, Quarantine, masks, isolation and all that. We are in a new dispensation, a new era, and we have come too far to turn back. Ebenezer! This far the Lord has helped us.
WE CAN TALK ABOUT ANGER MANAGEMENT
Talk about who needs anger management skills. It is a skill that is relevant to parents, children, teenagers, young college & career adults, the elderly, leaders, and professionals. Ministers too might need the skill. Whatever a person learns as a skill can also be used to add value to those in their sphere of influence. Let us pick a good beginning point and ask a few questions. Then attempt to answer them. I have integrated scriptures in content.
Can you remember a time when you were angry – Stop and Think for a while? Can you recall an angry episode that erupted into intense violence? Well I remember –From Africa to America, I have witnessed accounts of fights in the village, school, home, business, football fields, basketball courts, and in government offices.
Adults and young people alike would fist fight it out as if it were a spectator sport like soccer or hockey. Tip #1: Remember a time when you were angry. What made you angry?
To begin to accept responsibility for our angry outbursts, perhaps, we need to answer some questions: What is anger? What makes a person angry? In this article, there are pauses where you are encouraged to look into your own life. After each paragraph there is a Tip to help you remember what it is you are managing and how. Tip #2. Accept responsibility for you angry outbursts.
1. *What is anger?* Some people say that in spelling A-nger there is only one letter “D” which is missing from D-anger; or anger is one letter short of danger. Others describe anger as: “When I am angry, I see red.” or “I lose control. I can’t even remember what I did when I was angry,” “I don’t know why I was so worked up.” “I felt like I wanted to just fight.” Some have been heard repeating, “I reach a boiling point”. In this mix there are a few individuals who seem to get more angry than the precipitating event. We say they make a mountain out of an ants’ hill. Have you heard someone repeat, “I get angry at the drop of a hat?” To be honest, during COVID-19 and BLM protests, people seem to be getting kind of worked up over something, anything or nothing. Tip #3: Name what makes you angry-List 7-10 things?
Anger is a Natural Human Emotion: It is pretty much like joy, peace, happiness, sadness, fear, and surprise. Since every human being has emotions, this then means that all human beings have the potential to get angry.
It is, therefore, important to learn how to manage your emotions without placing them or blaming others. The word of God reminds us, “to be angry and sin not.” (Ephesians 4:26). In Galatians 5 anger is referred to as “the works of the flesh.” Fathers are cautioned not to provoke their children to anger (Ephesians 6:4).. So we all get angry at something, at someone, or just a feeling like an angry mood. It seems to me that this is contrary to the people who say. “I never get angry.” I believe courage to face reality, to know and accept individual emotions is much more empowering than to deny ever getting angry. Tip #4: We all have emotions. We all get angry sometimes.
Anger Management by Rev Mrs. Wambui Njoroge, MS/will be continued in Article #2/
Questions/Comments or Concerns/Email-revwambuifavored@gmail.com
