Home » Things I've Learned » I Can’t Make You Be Mad

I Can’t Make You Be Mad

51. I Can’t Make You Be Mad

Have you ever said to someone, “You make me SO mad!” Years ago I learned that that’s just not true. Because my reaction to someone else is my decision. I decide to react in a certain way and I can change that reaction whenever I want to.

The reverse is also true: I can’t make someone else mad. They make the decision to be angry.

Now I struggle with this but I do believe that it is true. And I believe that I can spare myself times of anger and frustration by assuming the responsibility for my reactions. Someone else doesn’t do it. I do.

And of course, I wrote a song that says it:

I can’t make you be mad,

You can’t make me be sad,

You don’t have the power,

I get to decide how I feel.

One day sittin’ at home I got so blue I said

It’s your fault I’m feeling this way,

You make me feel so low—Not true!

Atmosphere dark, the house full of stark depression

Will I join it, what else can I do

No power to act on my own—Not true!

You are responsible; I couldn’t help it

I was pulled; you made me feel that way

You’re responsible. I couldn’t do anything else—Not true!

I can’t make you be mad,

You can’t make me be sad,

You don’t have the power,

I get to decide how I feel.

© Copyright 1976 Ann Freeman Price

Leave a Reply

Daybook of Personal Faith

daybook of personal faith

Daybook of my personal Faith is written for everyday of the year, with chants, songs, mandalas to color, poems, stories, prayers, and reflections.

Mama and Me

Mama and Me

Mama and Me---Our last three years together and beyond is a book about a relationship, built over 50 years and culminating in Mama’s death.

Graces To Sing

Graces To Sing

Graces To Sing to Tunes You Know is filled with familiar tunes with new words to celebrate times with family and friends, good food and thanks.

Trilogy of Cancer

Trilogy of Cancer

Ann's story of her cancer journey...filled with stories, poems, songs. You will laugh, cry....

Shadorma’s

Shadorma’s

This is a book that puts each of the 150 psalms in the psalter into a shadorma poetry form. Some of the longer psalms have several shadormas.

Women Songs | Peace Songs

Women Songs | Peace Songs

Woman Songs|Peace Songs is a collection of inspirational and powerful music still speaking to our times. Originally recorded in 1980.

Wisdom of Children

Wisdom of Children

Wisdom of Children is a collection of stories of the Grandchildren in Ann's life, their wisdom and her reflections for God.

Do You Love Me

Do You Love Me

Do You Love Me is a wonderful children's book. A conversation between a Grandmother and Grandson.

© 2010-2024 Ann Freeman Price All Rights Reserved -- Copyright notice by Blog Copyright