*August 9th*

I know how easy it is to let anger well up inside me at the thought of someone who has injured me. What is much more difficult is to take a detached view so we can stop the building up of this "head of steam." Unless I do this, it will explode, damaging me and everything around me.

When we are frustrated in our desire to punish the one we’re angry at, we may take it out on innocent bystanders, sometimes even the children in our homes who is not hurting us, the young lives which God has entrusted to our hands. Surely we have an obligation - a duty of love - to avoid aggravating the emotional damage on the rest of our family members, that the rebellious, acting-out child may already be inflicting on them.

Today’s Reminder:
There are many good reasons to keep myself from harboring resentful thoughts. They can grow into savage attacks on other human beings. Another good reason for quieting my anger before it gets out of hand is to prevent the emotional scars it can leave on me.

"If any man among you seem to be religious and bridleth not his tongue, he deceiveth his own heart; this mans’ religion is vain." (General Epistle of James)

[Taken and fashioned from "One Day At A Time In Al-Anon, 8-9.]