James 1:19

I've always heard that we have two ears and one mouth because we should listen twice as much as we speak. Paul tells us in the book of James that we should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry. Although not especially relevant to the listening part, perhaps Alec Baldwin should heed a little of what Paul teaches. His latest tirade against his daughter is utterly dismaying. The sad part is how many of us have heard explosive comments like that growing up. Condemnations of person and character that slowly and surely destroy one's sense of self worth; often said in anger.

As one who struggled with anger that I learned from an example set by my father, I regret all the inappropriate outbursts I made before taming my tongue. I pray that others can learn from Alec Baldwin's much publicized outburst. Learn that you can't take back words once they've left your mouth. Learn that however angry you may be, taking it out on your children is more damaging than you can imagine. Learn that there are healthier ways to deal with your anger and that maybe counting to 10 before launching a tirade might just let you discover what your anger is all about and keep you from saying something you may regret for the rest of your life.