Bottling Up

Champagne bottles are aesthetically made; their appearance is great but taste like spoiled pepper water. No wonder in parties people open them not for drinking but to pour it over other people. Indian cricket team followed this ritual after winning world cup, and it perfectly make sense. My favorite drink is vodka, since once upon a time I was a communist and I like to keep some connection with Russia, at least in drinking.

It is good to bottle up alcohol and wine in magnificently prepared bottle, but bottling up emotion is a dangerous habit. If one does not learn to let out irritation and heart burns at regular and appropriate intervals, he may end up exploding at wrong time for any minor reason. This not only embarrasses oneself and creates guilt feeling; it also could harm the innocent bystander who is trying to joke with you.

I am not saying that you need to shout at people every time someone annoys you. But constructively express your disliking. The supreme example is Bertrand Russell.

Once Bertrand Russell entered a club of which he was a member. He kept his umbrella on the stand and joined his friends for the party. When the party was over, as he was leaving, he became aware that someone has taken his umbrella. Immediately he wrote a note saying, “Dear Noble Man, kindly return my umbrella at my house address”. His friend who read the note was surprised and said to Russell, “You are calling a person who has taken your umbrella as a noble man, what is wrong with you?” Russell answered, “Look in this club only gentlemen and noble men are allowed to enter, and a person who takes away other person’s umbrella cannot be a gentleman, that is the reason I addressed him as a noble man”

There is always a way to get things done without exploding and without bottling up your feelings. All you need is something called imagination.