I can’t react blindly to my mate.  Otherwise, I am controlled by her.  I have to choose my reaction.  If she is angry, I can’t react in anger.  I can deflect her moods better that way.  This was not my idea but I read it in a book.  And it makes perfect sense.  I balked initially.  But I tried it out.  And it does work.  Anger begets anger.  It says this in Proverbs (which is in the Old Testament).  The idea is not new.  There is a time for anger but not all the time.  It is a powerful emotion and you have to be careful when to vent.  Otherwise, it gets abused.

It is easy to become angry and harder to hold your tongue.  Patience is a virtue.  It is easy to react in anger.  And anger can get in the way.  I know that.  I am working on that.

And when the other erupts, sometimes the best course of action is not to say anything but let her words wash over you.  And let her calm down.  You can’t discuss issues when tempers are flaring.

And words sometimes hurt.  When both of you have calmed down and neither feel threatened the timing is better to discuss conflict.  It is harder in practice of course but it is worth trying.

Somehow I have to refrain from becoming angry.  I need to develop more patience.  There is a time and place for anger but if I fly off the handle too easily something is wrong.

I have to slow down, listen more closely.  ‘Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to anger.’  Those words from Proverbs suggest a formula to avoid anger.

The first part of it forces you to slow down.  That is the only way you can be quick to listen.  You first have to refrain from talking, focus on the words of the person talking.

At the same time you may be able to digest the words spoken to you better.  The last part of the equation ‘be slow to anger’ suggests that if you listen better and also do not talk it may become a little easier not to react in anger.

These scriptures from Proverbs give me hope.  My wife has told me I repeatedly interrupt her.  I have to work on this.

I Just Seek Peace

Author: siggy

Conflict is good. It forces you to connect with your partner at a deeper level. You want to resolve your conflict, to seek peace with your partner.

In order to do that you have to reach deep within you, find the solution to resolve the impasse. This is all good. You must seek a creative solution to break the impasse.

In the process your roots are entangled with your partner, making your connection that much deeper. Conflict brings your deepest feelings to the surface.

After peace comes, you know your conflict resolution was genuine. Couples who do not argue are not facing their conflict head on but are superficially connecting with one another.

Anger indicates you have hit a nerve and you need to find a solution pleasing to both–often a compromise. Then a calm can come bringing peace to the couple. One needs to be kind in the process otherwise too many hurt feelings will hinder your resolution of your conflict.

Conflict can be a good thing. In the wake of a genuine solution, a couple’s relationship can become that much stronger. Conflict, in that case, is always beneficial.

When Love Is Not Enough

Author: siggy

When love is not enough,

You fight

Wonder

If you are right for each other

When love is not enough,

Angry, hurt words are spoken

Shattering the peace

When love is not enough

Sex disappears

And you wonder

What you ever

Saw in one another

When love is not enough

I have to forgive

My partner

For being

As imperfect

As I Am

When love is not enough

You have to start

From the beginning

Uncertain, unsure

Never knowing

Is love enough

A person who loves you, a person you care about, always has the ability to make you angry.  If the reaction you have to something a person does is apathy, it is far more serious.  A marriage (or any other relationship) almost never makes it back from that.  It is usually finished at that point so if someone has the ability to make you angry it is a good thing:  it means you care about the person and the relationship is still alive and has hope.  Anger is always an indicator.  There is not something necessarily wrong with it so learn from it.