Wednesday, December 15, 2010
A Ha! One Bad Gym Teacher CAN Ruin You (Or Your Kid) For Life
by Lenore Skenazy (Subscribe to Lenore Skenazy's posts)
Jan 19th 2010 2:07PM
There are two kinds of people in the world: Those who remember gym class fondly -- and those of us who remember it right up there with fetal pig dissection.
In fact, we probably feel about gym the way the pig felt about bio.
Sometimes we remember a particular humiliation that turned us off. Being picked last for a team is, of course, a classic. (I should know!) So is being the slowest. (Me again!) Bombardment, a.k.a. dodge ball? (Oy!) And being tubby -- that was a hell all its own. One mom I know was Example A when her teacher was trying to illustrate the concept of "fat" (real hard to understand). The teacher used actual pincers to grab my friend's excess flesh.
Jan 19th 2010 2:07PM
There are two kinds of people in the world: Those who remember gym class fondly -- and those of us who remember it right up there with fetal pig dissection.
In fact, we probably feel about gym the way the pig felt about bio.
Sometimes we remember a particular humiliation that turned us off. Being picked last for a team is, of course, a classic. (I should know!) So is being the slowest. (Me again!) Bombardment, a.k.a. dodge ball? (Oy!) And being tubby -- that was a hell all its own. One mom I know was Example A when her teacher was trying to illustrate the concept of "fat" (real hard to understand). The teacher used actual pincers to grab my friend's excess flesh.
I have to eat a square of chocolate just to calm down when I write that. But I have another source of comfort now, too: A new study that found, "Bad Gym Teachers Headed Straight to Hell!"
Oh wait. That was me reciting the headline from memory. Anyway, the actual title is almost as damning:" A Negative Phys Ed Teacher Can Cause a Lifetime of Inactivity."
That's the conclusion of a University of Alberta Professor of Physical Education and Recreation, Billy Strean, who set out to study the long-term effects a gym teacher can have. Since he teaches future gym teachers for a living, he was eager to find examples of happy former students embracing lifelong fitness -- which he did, thank goodness! But he was shocked to hear from one woman who told him that just THINKING about her gym teacher made her hands sweat and her eyes well up. As she told Strean, "I have never experienced the humiliation nor felt the antipathy toward any other aspect of life as I do toward sports."
And she was just the first! After hearing horror story upon horror story, Strean realized the biggest lesson he had to pass on to his students: YOU ARE NOT TRAINING FUTURE PROFESSIONAL ATHLETES!
"When I asked people, 'What's your favorite memory of sports and phys ed?'" says Strean, "they said something that was low-organized, like, 'Going out in the yard with my brother and throwing a football around.'" THAT is what gym class should be like, he concluded: More like playing, less like preparing for the London Olympics. When frolic is the goal, even kids who are slow or, God forbid, fat, can still have fun. And maybe even keep having fun when they're grown up.
There's a middle school gym teacher in New York City, John DeMatteo, who has his students doing wacky stuff. They play
Capture the Rubber Chicken(s). They rock out to Rhianna. One day he had them playing volleyball with a giant beach ball and a parent who wandered in demanded, frowning, "Why?"
Responded DeMatteo, "Isn't it more fun?"
That's the kind of gym teacher who's not going to make anyone weep into her La-Z-Boy 20 years from now. Let's bombard our kids with more of them.
Oh wait. That was me reciting the headline from memory. Anyway, the actual title is almost as damning:" A Negative Phys Ed Teacher Can Cause a Lifetime of Inactivity."
That's the conclusion of a University of Alberta Professor of Physical Education and Recreation, Billy Strean, who set out to study the long-term effects a gym teacher can have. Since he teaches future gym teachers for a living, he was eager to find examples of happy former students embracing lifelong fitness -- which he did, thank goodness! But he was shocked to hear from one woman who told him that just THINKING about her gym teacher made her hands sweat and her eyes well up. As she told Strean, "I have never experienced the humiliation nor felt the antipathy toward any other aspect of life as I do toward sports."
And she was just the first! After hearing horror story upon horror story, Strean realized the biggest lesson he had to pass on to his students: YOU ARE NOT TRAINING FUTURE PROFESSIONAL ATHLETES!
"When I asked people, 'What's your favorite memory of sports and phys ed?'" says Strean, "they said something that was low-organized, like, 'Going out in the yard with my brother and throwing a football around.'" THAT is what gym class should be like, he concluded: More like playing, less like preparing for the London Olympics. When frolic is the goal, even kids who are slow or, God forbid, fat, can still have fun. And maybe even keep having fun when they're grown up.
There's a middle school gym teacher in New York City, John DeMatteo, who has his students doing wacky stuff. They play
Capture the Rubber Chicken(s). They rock out to Rhianna. One day he had them playing volleyball with a giant beach ball and a parent who wandered in demanded, frowning, "Why?"
Responded DeMatteo, "Isn't it more fun?"
That's the kind of gym teacher who's not going to make anyone weep into her La-Z-Boy 20 years from now. Let's bombard our kids with more of them.
Is going to the gym bad for your health?
By PETA BEE, Daily Mail
Last updated at 08:21 04 July 2006
Gyms are a Mecca for the fit and healthy - so they are the last place you would expect to encounter a serious threat to your well-being. Yet research shows that they can be a breeding ground for illnesses ranging from colds and viruses to deadly superbug infections.
Microbiologists have discovered that dangerous bacteria lurk not only in the unpleasant sweaty residue left on gym equipment, but in hot-tubs, changing rooms and even sports drinks bottles.
Some of the bugs can thrive for days in the humid gym environment, and are killed only when the area is thoroughly cleaned and disinfected.
In a recent survey for Men's Fitness magazine, Dr Derren Ready, a clinical scientist in microbiology at University College Hospital in London, admits he was shocked when swabs taken from one unnamed London gym revealed dangerously high levels of bacteria. One site harboured 132 million bugs in an area the size of a 2p coin, while the average count was 16 million, he says.
Compare those levels with the 500 bacteria you could expect to find in a similar sample taken from a loo seat, and you can see why experts are increasingly concerned. This could be just the excuse you need for not going to the gym.
Here are some of the bacterial 'hotspots':
GYM EQUIPMENT
In the Men's Fitness survey, germs were found in every nook and cranny of the gym. On the bench-press headrest and dumbells, for instance, almost 8 million traces of staphylococcus epidermis, a type of bacteria which causes skin infections, were found.
Boxercise gloves, used for gym boxing classes, contained another species of bacteria linked to similar infections. Sweaty residue on gym equipment - particularly the machines often used by several people in quick succession, such as weights and exercise bikes - can also harbour streptococcal infections and even candida, a germ linked to problems in the intestines and bowel.
Catching the Herpes virus is also a risk if the sweat of an infected person gets on to gym mats or other surfaces. 'The actual sweat is really not a problem,' says Herbert DuPont, professor of medical sciences at the University of Texas, who has studied gym hygiene. 'It is primarily the moisture from sweat that causes problems by helping germs to grow.'
CHANGING ROOMS AND SHOWERS
Earlier this year it was reported by the Health Protection Agency that about 100 men and woman had contracted a strain of the MRSA superbug at their gym or sports centre.
Community-acquired MRSA (known as CA-MRSA) can trigger pneumonia and lead to skin infections which cause boils and abscesses.
Dirty towels
Dirty towels handed out to members are also a breeding ground for CA-MRSA, experts warn. Gyms and health clubs are not governed by the same standards as hospitals, which set regulations for the temperature at which towels must be cleaned.
This is a very dangerous organism, said Dr Ron Cutler, an MRSA expert at the University of London.
'I would strongly advise people to take their own towel to the gym. In hospitals, you know that bedding and towels are cleaned to a certain level, but in a gym you have no idea.'
Less harmful are other common diseases lurking on the floor of these areas such as tinea pedis (athlete's foot), a fungal infection which causes cracked, blistered skin and itching, usually between the toes, and onychomycosis, another infectious fungal disease with symptoms including yellow, brittle toe-and fingernails.
Both of these can be treated with over-the-counter medications, but for persistent infections you may need to consult your GP.
CLOTHING AND ACCESSORIES
The average pair of running shoes has 76 times more fungi than a toilet bowl, according to a survey commissioned by medical company Daktarin.
Even a few days after running, 40 per cent of training shoes had a higher number of fungi than work shoes which had just been taken off, proving that the warm, moist environment acts as a breeding ground for spores.
That apparently healthy water bottle you carry can also harbour nasty bugs. A study at the University of Calgary in Canada reported high levels of bacteria in water drunk from plastic bottles which were refilled without proper cleaning.
Some of the water samples had significant levels of fecal bacteria, probably due to improper handwashing by the bottle owners. Heterotropic bacteria, which feed on other microbes, were also present in more than half the samples.
The solution? If you re-use a bottle, sterilise it regularly with boiling water or put it through a full cycle in the dishwasher.
HOT-TUB
Poorly-maintained hot-tubs can be a breeding ground for dangerous bacteria, according to research by a team from Texas A&M University earlier this year.
They tested 43 water samples from private and public whirlpool baths, only to find all had some kind of microbial growth.
Whereas a teaspoon of tap water contains about 138 bacteria, a teaspoon of whirlpool tub water had an average of 2.17million bugs. Bacteria derived from faeces were present in 95 per cent of samples, while 34 per cent contained potentially deadly staphylococcus bacteria.
And the warm temperature makes matters worse: the chlorine in the tubs loses much of its disinfecting power, while the bugs thrive.
According to the Health Protection Agency, spas were the cause of 27 cases of legionnaires' disease and three deaths in 2003.
Last year, 72-year-old Jean Winfrey, from Peterborough, who had a hot-tub in her home and used it several times a week, became the first person in the UK to be diagnosed with 'hot-tub lung'. Doctors found abnormalities in Mrs Winfrey's lungs, possibly as a result of an inflammation caused sarcoidosis, thought to be an allergic response to an infection caught from the hot-tub.
The US Centre for Disease Control, which has investigated the effects of whirlpools, says the term 'hot-tub lung' covers several conditions, including pneumonia and a hypersensitivity or allergic reaction to the chemicals in the water.
The most common culprits are mycobacteria, which live in the slime that forms on the inside of wet hot-tub pipes. When the water jets are switched on, they are propelled into the bubbles.
'The best way to prevent such bacteria from forming is to clean out the pipes,' says Dr Rita Moyes, who led the Texas study.
'The pipes in a whirlpool hot-tub need to be scraped and cleaned just like you need to brush your teeth with toothpaste.'
SWIMMING POOL
Outbreaks of a nasty gut bug, cryptosporidium, are sometimes linked to swimming pools. Infection is caused by swallowing contaminated water.
Ironically, health problems can also be caused by the chemicals, such as chlorine, which are added to pools to kill potentially harmful bacteria.
Some researchers have linked the presence of pool chemicals to the rising incidence of asthma. It is thought that chlorine reacts with sweat or urine to create dangerous fumes which can harm the lungs.
One study at the Catholic University of Louvain in Brussels measured proteins known to damage lung cells and found regular swimmers had the same levels as smokers.
SAUNA AND STEAM ROOM
In the survey conducted by Men's Fitness, the sauna was found to contain high levels of citrobacter freundii bacteria, an agent of infections including pneumonia, and blood and urinary tract infections.
'The bacteria usually lives in the gut and its presence indicates faecal contamination,' says Dr Ready.
He suspects the high count could stem from the wooden benches in saunas and steam rooms which have lots of crevices, providing ideal gaps for bacteria to colonise.
Citrobacter is often found with other intestine-dwelling bacteria, such as E. coli.
HOW TO STAY SAFE
One: Wash your hands thoroughly before and after exercise.
Two: Wipe down the machines, preferably with disinfectant wipes, before and after use. Gyms should disinfect them on a regular basis - but it is good gym etiquette to make sure you don't leave a pool of sweat behind you.
Three: Avoid touching your mouth, eyes or face, because this is how most viruses are transmitted.
Four: Use your own clean sweat towel to wipe your sweat, rather than your hands.
Five: Wear flip-flops when walking in the shower or sauna, to avoid catching athlete's foot.
Six: Sit on a towel or wear shorts in the sauna to avoid direct contact with the seating, which may contain fungi.
Seven: Give the gym a miss if you think you have early cold or flu symptoms.
Reference: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-393921/Is-going-gym-bad-health.html
Last updated at 08:21 04 July 2006
Microbiologists have discovered that dangerous bacteria lurk not only in the unpleasant sweaty residue left on gym equipment, but in hot-tubs, changing rooms and even sports drinks bottles.
Some of the bugs can thrive for days in the humid gym environment, and are killed only when the area is thoroughly cleaned and disinfected.
In a recent survey for Men's Fitness magazine, Dr Derren Ready, a clinical scientist in microbiology at University College Hospital in London, admits he was shocked when swabs taken from one unnamed London gym revealed dangerously high levels of bacteria. One site harboured 132 million bugs in an area the size of a 2p coin, while the average count was 16 million, he says.
Compare those levels with the 500 bacteria you could expect to find in a similar sample taken from a loo seat, and you can see why experts are increasingly concerned. This could be just the excuse you need for not going to the gym.
Here are some of the bacterial 'hotspots':
GYM EQUIPMENT
In the Men's Fitness survey, germs were found in every nook and cranny of the gym. On the bench-press headrest and dumbells, for instance, almost 8 million traces of staphylococcus epidermis, a type of bacteria which causes skin infections, were found.
Boxercise gloves, used for gym boxing classes, contained another species of bacteria linked to similar infections. Sweaty residue on gym equipment - particularly the machines often used by several people in quick succession, such as weights and exercise bikes - can also harbour streptococcal infections and even candida, a germ linked to problems in the intestines and bowel.
Catching the Herpes virus is also a risk if the sweat of an infected person gets on to gym mats or other surfaces. 'The actual sweat is really not a problem,' says Herbert DuPont, professor of medical sciences at the University of Texas, who has studied gym hygiene. 'It is primarily the moisture from sweat that causes problems by helping germs to grow.'
CHANGING ROOMS AND SHOWERS
Earlier this year it was reported by the Health Protection Agency that about 100 men and woman had contracted a strain of the MRSA superbug at their gym or sports centre.
Community-acquired MRSA (known as CA-MRSA) can trigger pneumonia and lead to skin infections which cause boils and abscesses.
Dirty towels
Dirty towels handed out to members are also a breeding ground for CA-MRSA, experts warn. Gyms and health clubs are not governed by the same standards as hospitals, which set regulations for the temperature at which towels must be cleaned.
This is a very dangerous organism, said Dr Ron Cutler, an MRSA expert at the University of London.
'I would strongly advise people to take their own towel to the gym. In hospitals, you know that bedding and towels are cleaned to a certain level, but in a gym you have no idea.'
Less harmful are other common diseases lurking on the floor of these areas such as tinea pedis (athlete's foot), a fungal infection which causes cracked, blistered skin and itching, usually between the toes, and onychomycosis, another infectious fungal disease with symptoms including yellow, brittle toe-and fingernails.
Both of these can be treated with over-the-counter medications, but for persistent infections you may need to consult your GP.
CLOTHING AND ACCESSORIES
The average pair of running shoes has 76 times more fungi than a toilet bowl, according to a survey commissioned by medical company Daktarin.
Even a few days after running, 40 per cent of training shoes had a higher number of fungi than work shoes which had just been taken off, proving that the warm, moist environment acts as a breeding ground for spores.
That apparently healthy water bottle you carry can also harbour nasty bugs. A study at the University of Calgary in Canada reported high levels of bacteria in water drunk from plastic bottles which were refilled without proper cleaning.
Some of the water samples had significant levels of fecal bacteria, probably due to improper handwashing by the bottle owners. Heterotropic bacteria, which feed on other microbes, were also present in more than half the samples.
The solution? If you re-use a bottle, sterilise it regularly with boiling water or put it through a full cycle in the dishwasher.
HOT-TUB
Poorly-maintained hot-tubs can be a breeding ground for dangerous bacteria, according to research by a team from Texas A&M University earlier this year.
They tested 43 water samples from private and public whirlpool baths, only to find all had some kind of microbial growth.
Whereas a teaspoon of tap water contains about 138 bacteria, a teaspoon of whirlpool tub water had an average of 2.17million bugs. Bacteria derived from faeces were present in 95 per cent of samples, while 34 per cent contained potentially deadly staphylococcus bacteria.
And the warm temperature makes matters worse: the chlorine in the tubs loses much of its disinfecting power, while the bugs thrive.
According to the Health Protection Agency, spas were the cause of 27 cases of legionnaires' disease and three deaths in 2003.
Last year, 72-year-old Jean Winfrey, from Peterborough, who had a hot-tub in her home and used it several times a week, became the first person in the UK to be diagnosed with 'hot-tub lung'. Doctors found abnormalities in Mrs Winfrey's lungs, possibly as a result of an inflammation caused sarcoidosis, thought to be an allergic response to an infection caught from the hot-tub.
The US Centre for Disease Control, which has investigated the effects of whirlpools, says the term 'hot-tub lung' covers several conditions, including pneumonia and a hypersensitivity or allergic reaction to the chemicals in the water.
The most common culprits are mycobacteria, which live in the slime that forms on the inside of wet hot-tub pipes. When the water jets are switched on, they are propelled into the bubbles.
'The best way to prevent such bacteria from forming is to clean out the pipes,' says Dr Rita Moyes, who led the Texas study.
'The pipes in a whirlpool hot-tub need to be scraped and cleaned just like you need to brush your teeth with toothpaste.'
SWIMMING POOL
Outbreaks of a nasty gut bug, cryptosporidium, are sometimes linked to swimming pools. Infection is caused by swallowing contaminated water.
Ironically, health problems can also be caused by the chemicals, such as chlorine, which are added to pools to kill potentially harmful bacteria.
Some researchers have linked the presence of pool chemicals to the rising incidence of asthma. It is thought that chlorine reacts with sweat or urine to create dangerous fumes which can harm the lungs.
One study at the Catholic University of Louvain in Brussels measured proteins known to damage lung cells and found regular swimmers had the same levels as smokers.
SAUNA AND STEAM ROOM
In the survey conducted by Men's Fitness, the sauna was found to contain high levels of citrobacter freundii bacteria, an agent of infections including pneumonia, and blood and urinary tract infections.
'The bacteria usually lives in the gut and its presence indicates faecal contamination,' says Dr Ready.
He suspects the high count could stem from the wooden benches in saunas and steam rooms which have lots of crevices, providing ideal gaps for bacteria to colonise.
Citrobacter is often found with other intestine-dwelling bacteria, such as E. coli.
HOW TO STAY SAFE
One: Wash your hands thoroughly before and after exercise.
Two: Wipe down the machines, preferably with disinfectant wipes, before and after use. Gyms should disinfect them on a regular basis - but it is good gym etiquette to make sure you don't leave a pool of sweat behind you.
Three: Avoid touching your mouth, eyes or face, because this is how most viruses are transmitted.
Four: Use your own clean sweat towel to wipe your sweat, rather than your hands.
Five: Wear flip-flops when walking in the shower or sauna, to avoid catching athlete's foot.
Six: Sit on a towel or wear shorts in the sauna to avoid direct contact with the seating, which may contain fungi.
Seven: Give the gym a miss if you think you have early cold or flu symptoms.
Reference: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-393921/Is-going-gym-bad-health.html
Emotion, emotional intelligence and our emotional health
Emotion is an essential aspect of interpersonal communication. The capacity to feel is what makes us human, and what connects us to one another. Emotional intelligence is what helps us to achieve our potential, and to fulfil our hearts’ ambitions. So, the more we develop and refine our emotional intelligence the more we can enjoy fulfilling relationships, realize our deepest longings, manage life’s conflicts with grace, and create fair, peaceful and sustainable societies.
Many of the experiences we have in childhood leave a lasting emotional impression, even if we don’t consciously recall them. Childhood therefore has a profound influence on how we relate to each other as adults.
The good news is there is a lot we can do to develop our emotional intelligence as adults. Counselling or psychotherapy can do much to help us develop our emotional health. Conflicts and difficulties can be turned into opportunities for learning, healing and growth.
Nurturing our emotional health can transform our relationships, and in fact, it can change the world.
Since our childhood experiences so strongly influence our emotional health, the way we raise our children is of profound consequence.
Robin¹s second book, 'Heart To Heart Parenting' was released in April 2008 through ABC Bookstores. An empowering book for parents, Heart To Heart Parenting is more than just a 'how to' book about raising happy and resilient children. It aims to help you create a deep and lasting relationship that is unique to you and your child. Using techniques that are based on connection rather than shaming, manipulation and punishment, Robin Grille introduces you to insightful and practical ways to benefit your child's emotional well-being and social development
Heart to heart parenting is an exceptional book. Rather than tips and one-size-fits-all advice, Robin Grille offers a gentle guide to the authentic heart of parenting. His step-by-step approach supports parents through each stage to find the joy, fulfillment and immense personal growth that the ordinary task of parenting promises, for parents and children alike.
Dr Sarah J Buckley; GP/ family physician, Author of Gentle Birth, Gentle Mothering: The wisdom and science of gentle choices in pregnancy, birth and parenting. http://www.sarahjbuckley.com/
Find out more about my first book: ‘Parenting for a Peaceful World’, where you can learn about nurturing your child’s emotional intelligence, and understand how your own childhood experiences have influenced your emotional make-up as an adult. ‘Parenting for a Peaceful World’ is available for purchase from this site, dedicated to 'our emotional health'. Updates to the book are also available from this site.
Robin Grille’s book is filled with gems for anyone passionate about our future. This book should be required reading for all parents, politicians, social change activists, teachers, leaders and visionaries.
Kali Wendorf, editor, Byronchild magazine, Australia
Reference: http://www.our-emotional-health.com/
Many of the experiences we have in childhood leave a lasting emotional impression, even if we don’t consciously recall them. Childhood therefore has a profound influence on how we relate to each other as adults.
The good news is there is a lot we can do to develop our emotional intelligence as adults. Counselling or psychotherapy can do much to help us develop our emotional health. Conflicts and difficulties can be turned into opportunities for learning, healing and growth.
Nurturing our emotional health can transform our relationships, and in fact, it can change the world.
Since our childhood experiences so strongly influence our emotional health, the way we raise our children is of profound consequence.
Heart to heart parenting is an exceptional book. Rather than tips and one-size-fits-all advice, Robin Grille offers a gentle guide to the authentic heart of parenting. His step-by-step approach supports parents through each stage to find the joy, fulfillment and immense personal growth that the ordinary task of parenting promises, for parents and children alike.
Dr Sarah J Buckley; GP/ family physician, Author of Gentle Birth, Gentle Mothering: The wisdom and science of gentle choices in pregnancy, birth and parenting. http://www.sarahjbuckley.com/
Robin Grille’s book is filled with gems for anyone passionate about our future. This book should be required reading for all parents, politicians, social change activists, teachers, leaders and visionaries.
Kali Wendorf, editor, Byronchild magazine, Australia
Reference: http://www.our-emotional-health.com/
ANGER!
Interesting paper taken from:
SYDNEY MORNING HERALD
http://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/lifematters/blogs/dirty-laundry/anger-a-healthy-alternative/20101115-17ujn.html
Anger: a healthy alternative
November 16, 2010
A few weeks ago I wrote about sorrow - and other useless emotions. This week, we’re addressing another tough one – anger.
I always considered myself a rather calm person - ridiculously calm in fact. Stupidly calm.
When everyone else was losing their s**t, I would be sipping my chamomile tea and listening to Enya.
My mother taught me from a very young age that losing your temper was never the way to handle a situation.
One must speak calmly and rationally and never revert to throwing oneself on the floor kicking and screaming in a bid to make oneself heard.
The last time I did that I was four. It didn’t end very well for me.
In my adulthood there have only been a handful of occasions where I’ve felt myself drifting out of the realms of logical, lucid behaviour and into the land of the raging lunatic – grappling with the roaring effects of a “brain snap” as fury consumed every fibre of my being.
Let me just say, that parking inspector did not see that coming.
Having witnessed the effects of the elusive brain snap many times from other people, I must admit it has always been a bit of a mystery to me.
I even found myself jealous at times of those who could fly off the handle at the drop of a hat and engage in an Oscar-worthy hissy fit, without so much as a care in the world.
My tightly-wound moral compass just wouldn’t allow me to go there. Damn those of you who walk amongst us with no concept of inappropriate behaviour. I want to get me some of that.
I can honestly say I’ve never thrown anything in a fit of rage (too much of a tightarse to go around breaking possessions willy nilly).
But looking back over the years, I think I really should have got in touch with those negative emotions a little more often. It may have saved me from years of built up frustration.
Recently I’ve introduced myself to the lost art of ''release''. I never thought I’d say this but losing your s**t is kind of therapeutic.
And I thoroughly recommend it.
My biggest failing has been letting the sun go down on my anger.
It’s some old school wisdom from our friends the Ephesians (4:26 to be precise) but I think what they were really trying to tell us was “get that anger out there girlfriend and be done with it, then get yourself to bed and sleep in peace”.
When the sun rises it’s a new day.
I always considered myself a rather calm person - ridiculously calm in fact. Stupidly calm.
When everyone else was losing their s**t, I would be sipping my chamomile tea and listening to Enya.
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I frequently espouse the merits of turning the other cheek and being calm in the face of a storm.My mother taught me from a very young age that losing your temper was never the way to handle a situation.
One must speak calmly and rationally and never revert to throwing oneself on the floor kicking and screaming in a bid to make oneself heard.
The last time I did that I was four. It didn’t end very well for me.
In my adulthood there have only been a handful of occasions where I’ve felt myself drifting out of the realms of logical, lucid behaviour and into the land of the raging lunatic – grappling with the roaring effects of a “brain snap” as fury consumed every fibre of my being.
Let me just say, that parking inspector did not see that coming.
Having witnessed the effects of the elusive brain snap many times from other people, I must admit it has always been a bit of a mystery to me.
I even found myself jealous at times of those who could fly off the handle at the drop of a hat and engage in an Oscar-worthy hissy fit, without so much as a care in the world.
My tightly-wound moral compass just wouldn’t allow me to go there. Damn those of you who walk amongst us with no concept of inappropriate behaviour. I want to get me some of that.
I can honestly say I’ve never thrown anything in a fit of rage (too much of a tightarse to go around breaking possessions willy nilly).
But looking back over the years, I think I really should have got in touch with those negative emotions a little more often. It may have saved me from years of built up frustration.
Recently I’ve introduced myself to the lost art of ''release''. I never thought I’d say this but losing your s**t is kind of therapeutic.
And I thoroughly recommend it.
My biggest failing has been letting the sun go down on my anger.
It’s some old school wisdom from our friends the Ephesians (4:26 to be precise) but I think what they were really trying to tell us was “get that anger out there girlfriend and be done with it, then get yourself to bed and sleep in peace”.
When the sun rises it’s a new day.
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