Article October 30, 2006 ISSUE

TEMPERING TEMPER

BY JOHN MINARD

I've always thought of myself as a calm and collected person. Yet on rare occasions, when I've least expected it, some set of circumstances, emotions, or harsh words have overridden my calm capacity and sparked a momentary surge of temper, making me feel like a thermometer bursting from extreme heat.

Some might say it's only human to have one or two little hot buttons, or sensitive subjects that can ignite a hidden spark of anger. But I'm finding it is possible to quell any tendency toward over-sensitivity, resentment, or temper.