Education, growing up and personal responsibility

 On Sunday I posted a blog where I detailed my experiences with a former headmaster of a school I attended. As sometimes happens, I got a nice message, suggesting I grow up, stop blaming everyone for all of my personal failures and took personal responsibility for everything that has gone wrong in my life.

Everyone is entitled to their opinion. As it happens, I think I've done alright. If I list my blessings, they are many. I didn't write Sundays blog to blame everything that is wrong in my life on Mr Daniel Coughlan. In truth, I can't actually think of too much wrong with my life. It is pretty blessed and I am as happy as anyone could reasonably expect.

But having said that, there are a few things in my life I'd change. All of these, I've actually worked quite hard to address. I used to have some major anger issues. I addressed this as best I could. I still overreact at times, when faced with sudden aggression. I also get angry on occasion when I think people are being stupid or unreasonable. However, I've learned to manage this as best as I can. I've had counselling and help in the past. This taught me strategies, which work top mitigate the effects of anger. One thing I earned though, is that anger is a natural response to difficult situations. You can't completely eradicate anger in all scenarios, however desireable that may be. 

The problem for me is that, I went to a school where the remedy was violence for all problems. It took me a while to get past that. I was lucky, I changed schools and saw a different way. At Orange Hill, I don't think the cane was ever used. Things were dealt with in a different way. There were no regular playground fights. For years I attributed this to it being mixed. I have reassessed this. I now think that institutional reliance on violence lead to the atmosphere and lead to an atmosphere of antipathy that damaged our education. When I changed school, most of the effects disapated. It was however a period in my life when I was unhappy and anxious. 

If we are strong, we rise above such things. I think I’m strong, I’m glad I have put it behind me