A Hard-Learned Lesson

When I was a child my father had a horrible temper. In fact, he had some pieces to fix in his workshop that he had damaged or broken altogether from said temper. This lovely tradition continued into my own marriage when my lovely ex-husband hurled a crystal salt shaker at the oven and shattered the glass front on the door. Yeah. Wonderful.

Why is it that we feel the need to break things when we’re angry? Has this ever happened in your life? Have either you or someone you loved broken something in a fit of anger only later to regret it? If only we could take a deep breath and calm ourselves before this came to pass.

Child #4 learned this painful lesson just yesterday. Her twin, Child #3, was harassing her and she was so angry that when the cord to her headphones got stuck, she pulled with all her might, snapping the cord easily. They had been a present for her last birthday. I don’t think it even registered with her, she was that upset. So now she has no headphones and she has broken a present from her mom.

I’m hoping the loss of the headphones will trigger in her a reaction that allows her to calm down when really upset so that this kind of thing doesn’t happen again. If only she will live and learn, like the old saying goes. Will she? Won’t she? I have yet to see. She will also have to pay for a new set of headphones, so hopefully to learn the lesson.