When I was young our family had two gardens. When the garden was booming with delicious food, my mother would start the hard work of canning for the winter. It was a long, hard process. Us kids helped, but she was the brains behind the labors. I remember when she got her first pressure cooker. Matter of fact, I think it was the only one she ever had. I was, for some reason under the impression that it would take away from a lot of hard work and it kind of did after one learns how to use it properly. She didn't use it for a while because she was just uncertain how it could really do what she was told. On top of the lid, there was what looked to me like a plug, actually it looked like a hole and they just stuck a metal cork in it. It also had a round gadget on top to release the pressure. I think this also bothered my mom some. I remember how long she would stand and look at that pan before she put it to the side. One day her pan was on the stove and there she stood. I walked over and stood beside her. I knew I had no words of wisdom for her, so I just looked at the pan. I thought she is getting ready to take the step. All of her sudden she turned her very firm face toward me and pointed to that plug. She said, "you see that," I nodded I did, "if I don't let the pressure out of the pan before I go to take the lid off, that will pop out of there and we will have a mess." I knew what that meant. I would be helping her clean up a big mess. Her eyes had grown in size as if fear was gripping her every being and it was not about a mess, because we had plenty of those to clean up in my day. I believe the fear was what kind of pressure that would be to force that cork out. I cannot remember her ever using it for canning. As the pressure mounted in the pan the pressure valve gave off a sizzle sound, then you knew it was ready to gradually release the air. Mom would put the prong of the fork through a hole in the gadget and the air came sizzling out. When all the air was out, the noise was done, you could remove the lid. I thought that was the greatest, but also knew it was nothing to play around with, because if not treated right, the blow up could cause a great disaster. It did blow up on her one time while cooking beans.
A pressure cooker makes me think of anger. Max Lucado says in his book Cast of Characters that, "Anger has a way of increasing in volume until it's the only sound we hear! The louder it gets the more desperate we become." When I read that, it gives me the picture of a person getting ready to blow his gasket. When a person gets angry they usually store that information in their brain and emotions, another thing happens, they put it on top, as does each next thing that happens and before long the pressure value starts to sizzle. If they are not listening and gradually let the steam out, they can blow the cork to the ceiling and everyone in the room will be the participant of the disaster. They can be left wondering, whatever did I do for that to happen. The person that allows anger to build up without dealing with it, will end up a very angry person. Anger will happen, but the best thing to do is deal with it as it happens.
How do you release that valve? Talk to someone you trust. They can help you defuse what is going on inside. They can also help you get a better view of the whole picture. When you cool down and have the opportunity, you should talk to the person; take someone with you in case it all goes south. You do not need a screaming match. Write down why it made you made angry. You might find out it wasn't even really what the person said or did, it might have triggered something else altogether. One good reason to keep anger defused is, it can cause health issues, maybe not today but down the line.
Don't allow your life to be hindered by built up anger. Release the steam before you blow your lid. It is easier to release steam, than to clean up a gooey mess that can destroy relationships and people. Ask God to help not to be a hot head. Allow Him to guide you in your relationship with others, that you will show his love and compassion to flow through you. Keep releasing your steam in a safe way as you go about your day.
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