I CAN'T help but be awed by some acquaintances who have embraced anger and rant on just about anything every chance they get and all because of... politics.
This brings back images of my mom, like clockwork turning on the television, sitting on her lounger, and then starting to rant as if scolding someone, except that she's talking to the television.
"Errrmmm, mom? Why would you watch that if it angers you?" I asked. 'Twas rhetorical, no reply needed.
Those were the days when the Filipinos were being taken for a ride by politicians who thought they could fool us forever. I have to give it to them though for managing to fool us for 30 long years before we found our strength to push back. Senator Antonio Trillanes IV and his ilk until now has not figured that one out yet, and thus appear every once in a while in television to speak their unbelievable version of the truth. The more seasoned (and can we say, wily) politicians have long since chose to remain silent and let the eager-beavers like Trillanes and ilk to take centerstage and expose themselves for who they truly are.
In their bid to stay relevant, they grab the limelight in whatever way they can and spew out their untruths and utter absence of sense.
In the back of our minds, the voices of Stephen Sackur and Trillanes are imprinted and repeat over and over again that most cringe-worthy moment.
Sackur: Are you a Democrat?
Trillanes: I am a member of the Nacionalista Party.
That will forever send goosebumps across my hairy body, like a nail scratching a blackboard...
Trillanes remains un-chastised, maybe even clueless.
But that is what anger and hate can bring. It blinds you to everything else around except your own perception, and it makes you deaf to pitfalls and warning signs, as you trudge on, day by day, wearing that chip on your shoulder, ready to pounce on anyone who would dare tap that chip.
But what kind of life is that? What kind of a morning will that bring? How would your family be?
Anger, like any negative emotions, is contagious. When you bristle with anger all the time, sooner than not, those around you will treat you with anger as well.
This brings to mind a story about this once prominent politician who has been exposed as the ninny that he really is. A former subordinate assigned to feed him ideas was invited for breakfast because there were a lot of things to do.
Over breakfast with the ninny politician, the politician throws a major tantrum against the mother who was sharing breakfast with them. Then politician tells off the maids just to stress his displeasure, and then demand an entirely new breakfast, just because.
Apparently, anger got the better of the man and he wanted to show that he's still the boss and the uniformed "kasambahays" must all do his bidding, pronto!
What the guest saw was not a boss, but an ill-bred weakling that no wealth can clothe.
Slow down on anger, it exposes you for what you really are... and worse.
(saestremera@yahoo.com)