Be Not Angry! You Lose Your Friends! Poem by Dr.V.K. Kanniappan

“Be not angry
that you can’t make others
as you wish them to be, since
you can’t make yourself
as you wish to be” said Thomas a Kempis!

Here is a story!
Murugan was the only son to his father,
He used to get angry for silly matter(s)
With his parents and friends
who deserted him gradually!

His anger became more increasingly,
Since his friends didn't come to him closely,
He showed his anger towards his parents severely,
He broke many household things arrogantly,
His parents suffered mentally and monetarily!

His father called him one day and said
‘You think what you do is correct and just’
Do you know how much we lose money and peace?
Since you quarreled, from the school you are removed,
Your friends are also gradually reduced!

Why do you get angry so often?
He replied, “Others must listen as I wish,
Including my mother and you should listen,
If you all listen, I stop getting angry,
Otherwise I will go awry!

The father smiled with disgust,
OK! You do as you wish to be; Let us
have an agreement with one condition;
Whenever you get angry, take one nail
From this box and nail it on that tree!

He couldn't understand why his father said so,
But he accepted and started nailing one by one,
He approached the tree next day and counted the nails,
There were ten nails on that day, feeling sad!
He continued on the following days!

But, the nails gradually reduced day by day,
He realized that he can reduce his anger,
His father called him on seventh day,
Asked him to remove the nails on that day,
While he removed, he found the tree with lot of holes!

There dribbled juicy milk – gutta percha from the holes,
Showing the injury the tree sustained in many places,
The father said now pleasingly, “Look my son!
This is how your angry words had injured everybody,
How much they should have had upset all the day”

Murugan realized his mistake and regretted,
He had lot of tears from both his eyes and said,
He will behave pleasingly leaving his anger,
He does not require nails and hammer thereafter,
He rejoiced with his friends and parents for ever!