“Anger or hatred is like a fisherman’s hook. It is very important for us to ensure that it does not catch us.” -The Dalai Lama

A fisher’s hook tries its best to catch the roaming fish in the sea. It plunges, with no mercy, to sink its hook into one of the clueless fish passing by. Soon enough, it catches one. Anger and hatred are just like that hook and keep on chasing us. And they succeed because we get caught up with anger and hate more than we like to admit.

It does not take much effort on our part to get angry or feel hatred – someone can simply say a word that hits the nerve and we are set. The worst things in life come easily after all. So, we have to fight those negative feelings off to make room for the good ones.

Dodge The Hook

Those unfortunate fish who are caught are usually the ones tempted by the bait dangling on the hook. No wonder the bait clouds their judgment, and they don’t see the ominous hook lingering in the background. The poor fish probably thought it was getting some free food, but instead became food for the fisher.

Whenever you are tempted by the bait of anger and hatred, you should be aware of a hook lying somewhere and dodge it. Otherwise, you might as well meet the same fate as the fish. If you let anger and hate consume you, you lose a part of your humanity. And that’s a dangerous path to walk on.

Sure, you have emotions, and you cannot deny it. Being happy, angry, or sad is all part of being a human. But you just have to keep in mind the emotions that are good for you and the ones which would cause more harm than good. Think of it as a filtering system. Filter the harmful sentiments and keep the good ones. So dodge the hook of anger and hatred, and you will happily live another day.

Embrace The Water

Water keeps a fish alive. But when they are taken out of it, they struggle and gasp for air. You are no different from that fish who needs water because you need happiness and affection. You might think that you will be able to survive with no affection, but deep down you know you can’t fully live without it. So, instead of chasing after the hook, why don’t you explore the river? Little things might surprise you.

Try embracing the joy that comes every day and forget the stuff that makes you mad. Fill your mind with love and compassion until there is no room for anger and hate. Let your love win over hate, and compassion win over rage. If you are angry because of what others do, then you should probably spend less time with them. You should be in the company of wise and good people who bring out the best in you.

Keep On Swimming

When a fish keeps on swimming, it barely notices the hook dangling in the water and it remains safe. As long as you keep on trying to be compassionate and loving, you won’t get hooked by feelings of anger and hate. You would be too busy to let them trap you. So, don’t worry too much about the hook and just keep swimming.