A Lesson in Anger

I stood up for what was right. But it didn’t feel so good.

I recently approached the public library about a book that was on display and contained content inappropriate for its intended young adult audience. My first conversation was a calm one. I showed the specific content in question to the librarian to visually project my concerns. When she did not have a similar reaction to the content as I did, I asked how a book such as this was approved to be on the shelves of the library. Lastly, I tried to appeal to the motherly and moral side of life, and I asked if this was content that she would allow her children and grandchildren to read. When she avoided answering that question with a yes or no, it became clear to me that I should be done talking and leave my name and number for the director of the library to contact me. A similar conversation took place with the director; however, admittedly, I did not stay as calm throughout this second conversation. I asked about the public library’s advertised goal of enriching the community and how could this content enrich a community by harming the young population. I gathered my emotions and my intellect that were ready to fight, and thankfully the Holy Spirit delivered some calm to conclude the conversation. It ended with the next step being a “request for reconsideration form” that a committee needed to review for each book.

This situation wasn’t just about a book being on the shelf at the library. I was angry that adults did not see this content as wrong. I was also sad that people don’t see this content as wrong. Sad that if a child picked up that book, looked at it, and didn’t have someone in their life to guide them toward what was morally good and true, that the child’s future may not be what it could be.

You might have a similar example in today’s world as my library book experience.

But this situation cannot end in my anger and sadness. Those are two emotions that are not productive. (And they violate a Commandment or two.) My anger is not going to change a situation. My love might. My humility might. With God’s grace, my ability to approach the other side of the argument with patience and kindness might affect change.

Change in the world is not good change if it is rooted in anger. It could be motivated by anger and sadness, but those two emotions are not the best vehicles of change. Over the years, my Aunt Barb’s email signature line has included, “Be the change you wish to see in the world,” a quote by Mahatma Gandhi. As I sat seething from my “failed” conversations with the public library, God’s light began to shine on the next steps to take. My lesson in anger was a good one. Anger is not the path to affect change, but building an argument out of love is. Removing this book from the library would be good, but what would be better is affecting change in those around me and being a witness to my beliefs in a loving way to those closest to me. That is where change can begin, when we are a witness to our beliefs to those in our immediate sphere of influence.