When I was 30, I was riding my bike when a truck ran a red light and plowed into me, knocking me and the bike into the air. For a long time after that, I was really angry about the a--hole who ran the light.

When I was 35, my fallopian tube exploded (tubal pregnancy) and I lost 1/3 of my body's blood supply within an hour. I remember seeing myself in the hospital room from above. I saw a turquoise light (further away than a white light? Don't know--) and just knew that I didn't want to go there. I was really angry for a long time about that accident, too. My doctor didn't understand because he said -- we didn't think you would live -- and I was angry about the pain.

When I was 48, I got breast cancer. I was seriously depressed during 11 months of treatment and close to suicidal. At least I wasn't angry.

For whatever it's worth, I think that (for me at least) depression was easier to get over than anger. This, of course, assuming that one doesn't succeed in killing oneself first.

How did it change me? Well, I'm not as angry... And I can "see" a little more than I used to.

And I finally got off my ass and reclaimed the life that I had abandoned.