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The Power of Anger, The Illusion of Hate
Is hate something we hide behind or can it offer an opportunity to heal?
“I imagine one of the reasons people cling to their hates so stubbornly is because they sense, once hate is gone, they will be forced to deal with pain.”
― James Baldwin, The Fire Next Time
Have you noticed how easy it is to feel anger? It surges through you, overriding reason and logic, filling your head with a roaring that erupts out of your mouth, a powerful force to push others back.
That wall, that force, it’s like a defensive shield against the world.
It pushes outward, making you bigger, stronger, and more threatening to whatever you perceive is wronging you. It’s like a display of dominance in animals, as they puff their chests up and make as much noise as they are able.
It serves to scare the other person away, to shut down any further communication, and to protect your soft, vulnerable center.
Hate is a prolonged extension of that feeling. It takes the flashfire of anger and molds it into a hard decision. An unmoveable belief that can stand before you, facing the world.