Growing up with people who didn't express anger, I had no healthy example to follow. To them, anger was a shameful thing that only revealed one's weakness and/or lack of control.
Starting during my teenage years I've been lifted out of that prison by being involved with people of faith, receiving counseling and being involved in my own recovery by going to 12 step meetings and coming here- I've enjoyed a tremendous freedom allowing me to respond to or even to 'feel' my emotions in the first place. The best counselor I've ever known taught me that my emotions are tools.
These days anger...lets me know that there is or might be d-anger ahead; and therefore I see it as a life-saving gift if I allow myself to learn to change those things that are within my control and accept what is not. (my paraphrased version of the Serenity Prayer)