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M.J. Evans
a book bubble about
In the Heart of a Mustang
Teens
Author Insight
Anger is a Choice
Did you realize that you choose to respond to a bad situation with anger. Anger is a choice. If you don't believe me just pretend that someone you don't know just backed into your car. Imagine the anger bubbling up inside you as you get out of your car and start to shout at the driver. "What's the matter with you? Are you blind?" Now imagine it was one of your good friends, or even your boss at work who backed into you. Your response would be much different. "Oh that's okay. It was just an accident." Same damage to your car...much different response on your part. In this excerpt Smokey teaches Hunter about anger and forgiveness as choices by comparing it to training a horse. A horse has two sides of the brain, the thinking side and the reacting side. A wild horse has a highly developed reacting side. A well trained horse has a highly developed thinking side. We can train our own brains to think rather than just react by the choices we make.
Book Excerpt
In the Heart of a Mustang
“Smokey, I feel different.”
Smokey glanced over at him. “Yeah? What’s different?”
“I have finally let go of my anger. I have forgiven my mom.”
“Good choice, Pachelbel.”
“Choice?” Hunter asked, confused.
“Yeah. Anger’s a choice. Anger makes ya weak. So choosing it always hurts ya one way or the other. We get to choose how we will respond to every event and circumstance. Remember when I told ya ‘bout the two sides of a horse’s brain?”
“Yeah. The thinking side and the reacting side.”
“That’s right. Training the horse teaches him to think instead of just react. Well, with people, anger is one of those responses we use when we are just using our reacting side of the brain. Forgiveness takes a lot of thinkin’ and choosin’.”
Hunter nodded. That made sense in a cowboy wisdom sort of way.
“So, what are you going to do about it?”
“I already did. I wrote a letter to my mom.”
A crooked smile appeared on Smokey’s face, and he reached over and knocked Hunter’s hat off his head. “Proud o’ you boy. Right proud o’ you.”
Sally chose that moment to give Hunter a nudge with her head. Smokey erupted in laughter. “Guess Sally’s proud o’ ya, too!”
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