“For every minute you are angry you lose 60 seconds of happiness”

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Let’s face it, we all get angry. Even a bartender/postal worker who writes a blog on living a positive rewarding life.  In all seriousness, this quote may sound redundant or even a little bit humorous, but it is oh so true.  While pondering it before I typed this I think it is a simple way to remind us of how little we stand to gain by being angry.  First, how great does it feel to be angry?  I can safely say there has never a moment where I said to myself “boy I wish I felt more angry today”.  Our blood pressure rises, we can get headaches and generally anger leaves us feeling just plain exhausted.  Rather a waste of our time, don’t you think?  Now when you couple that with the thought of what we could be feeling and doing if we focused on joy anger seems almost like a ‘double whammy’ when it comes to our lives.  Now we are going to get angry and sometimes we have every right.  Knowing how much we lose by staying in anger, however, may help us spend less time there.  When you focus on joy and forgiveness it benefits you just as much as, if not more as the other party concerned.  So next time you and I find ourselves getting angry, let us ask “Is this really worth all I am losing by being angry?”.  I am going to guess most of the time the answer will be no.  So let us focus on joy, love and forgiveness and not let anger steal anymore of our lives.  Not even 60 seconds.