We hunt for happiness all over the world when the wise say that it lies within you. Maybe it does but what is also true is that we carry a lot of things that can effectively poison whatever happiness we do find within ourselves...thereby proving that we are our own worst enemies.
And Tiru says that the worst of the enemies we carry within ourselves is anger.
Nagaiyum Uvagaiyum kollum sinatthin pagaiyum ulavo pira? - Tirukkural
Is there a worse enemy than anger which kills your smiles and your joy? - Loose Translation
Hmmm! Come to think of it, there is some truth in it. I mean, I can remember the times when I have had a tiff with someone and was fuming with anger. Forget enjoying myself, I used to be so pissed when someone in my vicinity dared to smile or laugh. I mean, here I was, absolutely incandescent with anger so how could anyone find anything to be happy about around me? Bloody self-centered of him, really!
Yeah, anger and its first cousin - hate - are not really the gregarious sort. They find it difficult sharing the same space with others and prefer to be the sole occupants of the mind that they are lodged in. They could, perhaps, permit vengeance and such others to be room-mates but...joy? No effing way. If the one comes in, the other HAS to go out. And, so, when anger is in, joy IS out. And TILL anger is out, joy will not step in, cos joy seldom walks in where it is not wanted.
But, no worse enemy than anger? THERE I think Tiru goes too far. How about hopelessness, for example, the leading companion of depression? But, then, I suppose that it is poetic hyperbole. I bet Tiru says that to all negative emotions!
But...but...without anger, hatred-spewing and trolling, where is the joy of having your social media posts going viral? Hmmm...
