9. Anger

9. Anger

Anger – what type of emotion is this? Comes untimely and easily even before the person realizes that he is displeased about something.

Train travel in Mumbai cannot end without witnessing and experiencing exchanges of angry glances or an unpleasant exchange of words and arguments, especially in the ladies compartment. And believe me, each day teaches a new lesson of how ugly one looks when in displeasure and how negative the surrounding becomes when abuses run wild at the speed of light. 

The arguments and bad mouthing of words are usually either to get a comfortable seat or to disembark at destination station, yelling at each other and shouting uncalled-for words.  Normally while travel some commuters catch up on their sleep, some read books/ newspapers, some chant their prayers silently and still some work with their digital gadgets and then - the whole compartment is disturbed due to the yelling. The battle ends as suddenly as it started when one of the yelling parties either disembark from the train or get a comfortable seat.  The rest of the passengers in the compartment either laugh at the yelling passengers or start exchanging their own experiences and train-wars with their friends. 

If a regular traveller gets into argument regularly, soon enough the traveller comes to become a known face and others keep away from such traveller.    

Then there are some commuters who comment – “such a short journey – why do people get into arguments and spoil their own mood and spirits– that too early morning while going to work place or evening while returning back to the family”.  Such lot of people who comment  are usually the ones, who have attained some maturity in attitude and have travelled a lot more than the rest.  They arrive cheerfully at their place of work or reach home with cheer, only to find themselves within minutes that they too get upset and lose their own temper over petty issues, without realizing that their stay in office or home is also like a train journey – short.   Anger- what an emotion is this?

Anger and intolerance are the enemies of correct understanding – Mahatma Gandhi.

Holding on to anger is like grasping a hot coal with the intent of throwing it at someone else; you are the one who gets burned – Buddha

Anger is an acid that can do more harm to the vessel in which it is stored than to anything on which it is poured. – Mark Twain.