WHAT'S INSIDE THE BAGS? PAIN

[Dr. Kay]

PAIN

Perhaps the wound is old. A parent abused you. A teacher slighted you. A mate betrayed you. A business partner bailed out, leaving you a choice of bills and bankruptcy.
Are we angry.
Or perhaps the wound is fresh. The friend who owes us money just drove by in a new car. The boss who hired us with promises of promotions has forgotten how to pronounce our name. Our circle of friends escaped on a weekend getaway, and we weren't invited. The children we raised seem to have forgotten we exist.
Are we hurt.
Part of us is broken, and the other part is bitter. Part of us wants to cry, and part of us wants to fight. The tears we cry are hot because they come from our heart, and there is a fire burning in our heart. It's the fire of anger. It's blazing. It's consuming. Its flames leap up under a streaming pot of revenge.
And we are left with a decision. "Do we put the fire out or heat it up? Do we get over it or get even? Do we release it or resent it? Do we let our hurts heal, or do we let hurt turn into hate