The Power of Communication

 
I was angry with my friend:  I told my friend, my wrath did end.
I was angry with my foe: I told him not, my wrath did grow. 
William Blake (1757-1827)

In the simple but powerful poem "The Poison Tree" William Blake describes how anger can soon disappear by goodwill and friendship or nurtured to become a deadly poison. 

When we are angry with a friend, a family member, a co-worker, a neighbor, it is easy to dwell on the hurt and the disappointment.  It can become a seed, like the author of this poem describes that can grow into a tree which produces the poisonous fruit of death.  Death of a relationship, a friendship, a job.

Many times, just communicating with the other party, allowing that person to hear your side of the story, is all it takes to resolve a dispute.

After reaching an agreement through mediation in a custody dispute, one husband told his ex-wife, "if we would have had this opportunity to talk like this six years ago, we may have never divorced."  

I was angry with my friend:  I told my wrath, my wrath did end.

Let's get together and talk about it.