The Poison of Bitterness

As you might guess, I hang out in the blogosphere and on investor message boards now and then.  It's a fascinating world, and I get much more from it than I give.  That's the magic of it.

Sometimes I catch the scent of bitterness while exploring topics online.  The Internet is great for that...a good place to vent, and you often get to do it anonymously.  The Internet has become a massive complaints department in the sky.  I admit that I have contributed a bit of whining myself.

However, there is "constructive criticism," and then there is the more damaging form of complaining.  When I say damaging, I mean that the damage is self-inflicted. 

I remember hearing that bitterness is like "taking poison and hoping the other guy will die."  There have been times in my life when I have held bitterness in my heart for far too long, so I know its killing power. 

So now I try to make a practice of catching myself being resentful, and letting it go before it can wreak too much havoc.  That doesn't mean I won't ever complain, and won't ever offer constructive criticism, and won't ever post about pet peeves.  It just means that I try hard not to harbor hate.  It's not worth it, and it's liberating living without it. 

Easier said than done, for sure, but I recommend giving it a try.  Nothing ventured, nothing gained.