For most of my life, I always smiled when I saw the bumper sticker that says, “If you’re not outraged, you’re not paying attention.”
Righteous anger in the face of the parade of injustices near and far was an essential part of my identity as someone who cared about the world and whose brain wiring includes an extreme sensitivity to unfairness.
So today, when the opportunities for outrage come by the hour, I can only be grateful for Thay’s teachings on nurturing compassion when we would rather take comfort in the energy of anger. Instead of telling us to simply not be angry, Thay invites us to look at the causes and impacts of anger within ourselves. It is not easy, but, Thay offers, it is the path of peace.
What do you see when you look more closely at your anger? What happens when you befriend it?
