In talking with my students about living a great story, I simply asked, “What parts of our story can we control and what parts of our story are beyond our control?” Several shared that anger sometimes gets the best of them and they are not able to control it. For this reason, every day after recess and lunch, we find the space to stop, be still, breathe and release.

One day, during this period, a dear friend and former opera parent, Lissa James, came to class to lead us in a guided imagery session intended to help us recognize and confront our anger. Through story and vivid images, company members became conscious of their anger dragons.

Now, the goal is to determine ways to control this unpredictable beast that appears time and time again, catches us off guard, wreaks havoc in our lives and often leaves us feeling defenseless and defeated.

Where does my anger dragon live? What is his motivation? How will I control him? These are questions we all might ask ourselves.