Sadness Versus Anger - What Promotes Change?

I found this quote tonight (but there is no author cited)  http://www.coolnsmart.com/sad_quotes/. 

"Usually when people are sad, they don’t do anything. They just cry over their condition. But when they get angry, they bring about a change."

At first glance, this seems to make sense. We can all agree that when we show an increased degree of assertive/aggressive emotion, we tend to take action. Is it accurate to say this quote compares sadness with anger? By the author's definition, what makes them different?

The author implies that sadness renders us inactive while anger drives us to take the lead. So let's take a look into our past and choose a time when we remember feeling very sad, and ponder that experience for a moment. Did our sadness render us immobile or move us into action? Chances are, sadness made us feel weak. In this light, does sadness equal weakness while anger equals strength?

Does the author suggest that sadness cripples us, while anger strengthens us?

Since anger, most of the time, is a result of losing one's sense of intellectual capacity for understanding the whole picture, I may not agree that anger is a basis for strength. That being said, allowing anger to be the driving force behind change does not necessarily make it worthy of anything more than a reactive response with an unstable outcome because extreme emotions tend to lack logical reasoning. 

Setting anger aside, let's look at sadness. What is sadness and what is its function? Is it the equivalent of feeling pain from a flesh wound? If so, then we should first evaluate how to deal with the pain before we can  move in a forward direction. A wound needs treatment, so whether it is physical or emotional, retreating to a safe haven is the only natural thing to do. Does this define sadness as a weakness or a gravitation toward self preservation?  Does this represent an incapacity or does it represent intellectual reasoning?  If it is intellectual reasoning, then sadness boils down to an absorption of unwelcome input. It is not a fragility at all.

We instinctively know not to take action until our wounds are tended to, which means we wait until we grow stronger. At this point, it is healthier not to allow anger alone to motivate us toward making change, but the acceptance of reality. A good dose of self honesty can move us into a powerful type of action. Honesty and the acknowledgement of principles, which I believe are reason without dependance on emotion; truth that stands alone without need for condemnation.  Principles are the perception of what is right, without the reliance on anger. Actions based on principles are more deliberate in nature and generally have a stable outcome because they have been thought out more carefully. So quite possibly, change takes place as a desire to heal wounds, rather than being motivated by anger.

How DO We Have a Great Relationship?

What I really would like to know is - just what is a "great" relationship? How does one (particularly, a middle-aged woman) go about having one? Do we have to read countless manuals and psychology reports before arriving at "that station", because it's sure not like buying ice cream!

All too often, in the midst of situations, I hear my mother's voice, wet with exasperation, waving her arms up in the air, asking an age-old question, "Why does everything always have to be so complicated?"

Well, do relationships really have to be? I believe, because people have told me so, that when two people are mutually attracted to each other on multiple levels that relationships should be simple. Maybe if  people would stop trying so hard to reach idealistic goals...like the ones that don't require any effort or forethought, their relationship values would increase.  A "happily ever after" scenario is the same as visualizing ourselves wearing skinny jeans and tight shirts and giving no thought to making the effort required to get the weight off.

So how much work or effort do we have to put out? Does it have to be hard? Maybe if we try to live one day at a time and keep life simple...maybe if we take smaller steps, we can arrive someplace that feels safe. (However, I definitely advocate reading literature about controlling our emotions and understanding ourselves). When we practice to embrace love instead of fear, we move forward.

Let's pretend great relationships could be based on...say...ten simple rules. Maybe they would read like this:

Rule #1 - Wake up, thank God you're alive, and feel grateful. (No whining).
Rule #2 - Vow to be kind to yourself that day. (No self-flagellation).
Rule #3 - Look at those near you and realize they are a child of God, just like you. (No snarling).
Rule #4 - Remember, they are like you, but they are NOT you, so respect their differences. (No criticizing).
Rule #5 - Embrace the fact that all of us aim to have a good day. (Get outside of yourself).
Rule #6 - Enable others to have that privilege by vowing to convey a positive, respectful attitude with them.  (Open your heart).
Rule #7 - Listen well, and listen more. (Be forgiving).
Rule #8 - Offer positive, honest feedback, rather than silence. Mind reading is impossible, so let your loving  heart be known. (Speak sincerely).
Rule #9 - Search for ways (and be creative) to act as a giver, as well as being a gracious receiver. (Be humble).
Rule #10 - Remember, you will always have more to learn. (Be a student).

If we were to read, much less follow, these rules every day, how could we have anything but a great relationship with our partner (if we ever find one)?