My husband, Andrew, has been in a really foul mood recently. Annoyed at his all-week frown I asked, in a rather cranky tone, “What’s going with you?”
“I’m angry!” he snapped.
“That’s obvious,” I replied, tartly, “The question is why!”
“I’m angry at everything. Politics. The church. People. I’m mad at the world!”
“Ah. I see,” I replied, unimpressed. “There’s a really quick fix for that.”
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Andrew looked at me with both interest and irritation. “Close your computer,” I advised, using my hands to imitate the motion of closing a laptop. “You’re wallowing in news that makes you mad.”
“But I need to know what’s going on in the world!” he sputtered. He spends hours each day online, reading web sites and news feeds.
“And what good is it doing you? You’re not doing anything with that information except getting mad. It’s not making you a better person. It’s not helping anyone else. So just close the computer. Stop feeding your anger.”
He scowled at me, but it was with the kind of annoyance that comes with knowing I’m right. Nothing more was said about the matter that day or for many days to come. But Andrew started showing up in the living room more frequently, having real conversations with the kids instead of sputtering at the screen in suppressed rage. We had civil discussions about our political disagreements. He began to notice other things to do around the house.
It’s a good thing, closing the computer. Especially if what you’re reading only agitates your soul.
