One summer long ago, my sons were intrigued by the simple science of baking soda and vinegar shaken together in a bottle stopped with a cork. This experiment had been repeated many times over during the course of the summer, but it was not until we were sitting in the grandparent’s perfectly scrubbed kitchen that the illustration took on new meaning. I am not certain of the proportions in the mix, but the result was (you probably guessed it) a baking soda and vinegar explosion. The mixture was EVERYWHERE! Cupboards. Ceiling. Walls. Light fixture. It was a dripping mess all over the kitchen. I can still hear the loud pop followed by a gasp from Grandmom. The good news is that both baking soda and vinegar are cleaning products, so the kitchen sparkled as we cleaned up the mess.

Sometimes there is a lesson even when we’re not looking for one.

Explosions can be messy. The potential impact on those observing the event oftentimes cannot be measured. When that cork POPPED, we knew immediately this experiment contained much more force than any other we had ever done. For those struggling with anger outbursts, taking measure of what is going into the mix is important. If you have added so much stress to your day that the smallest amount of frustration tips the scale of your response, it may be wise to step back from some of the demands of your time. Our world is increasingly filled with potential stressors. How much stress are you able to handle before the cork pops? Before the pressure builds to the point of cleaning up a messy explosion, take note of what you are putting into the mix.   

Marlayne Whitlock, M.A., LAPC

mwhitlock@ GROWcounseling.com