I Became My Enemy

"Somewhere along the way I was taught that evil is fought through justice and might. The Way we combat evil is by making sure that people get what they have coming to them. An eye for an eye. You attack me and I’ll attack you. Fair is fair. And there were times in my own life when I’ve been so hurt that I was sure retaliation would make me feel better. But inevitably, when I can’t harm the people who harmed me, I just end up harming the people who love me. So maybe retaliation or holding on to anger about the harm done to me doesn’t actually combat evil. Maybe it feeds it.
In the end, if We’re not careful, we can actually absorb the worst of our enemy and on some level even become them."
(Nadia Bolz-Weber. Pastrix: The Cranky Beautiful Faith of A Sinner & Saint.)