Emotions

We use expressions like “you made me feel” to express our emotions that we have from the actions or non-actions or words of another. Reality is, no one can “make” us feel anything. If we are angry or hurt or sad, it is because we choose to let ourselves feel that way, not because of someone else.

Often we react to what someone does and never realize what the other person is feelings. Sometimes people will tell you they just can not deal with seeing someone so sick, or deal with being around someone who has been through something very traumatic or had a death in the family. And those that are sick, lost a loved one, or been through some other traumatic event often feel abandoned. There is no easy solution for that for if a person feels they can not handle seeing someone so sick, then they should not have to. And yet, for the person who suddenly feels abandoned, it still hurts. For, no matter how you look at it, they were abandoned. Maybe for good reason on the part of the other person but still the feeling of abandonment is there. Emotions are not always about right and wrong but about what people are handling.

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That is the problem with feelings. Sometimes there is no solution. We feel and the emotions are there. We just have to decide which emotion we will ride the crest of and how long we will ride it. Emotions are what we feel but we are still in control of ourselves and we can choose to no longer be angry or upset or hurt. It may take us a little time, but we can do it.

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I think sometimes we can harbor and feed emotions….like anger and even sadness until they consume us and we lose the way back again. Sometimes we can think that no one understands and can wonder why we endure so much. But, I truly believe that we are given no more than we can handle. Oh yeah, sometimes I might wish the Creator did not trust me with so much but I know that I am strong and can handle and I know that what I can not handle….the Creator, our Lord can. We all have those moments where we cry out in pain and said Lord, I can not be strong anymore. It does not last forever but it does give us some respite from fighting so hard.

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Sometimes we have opposite emotions. For example, we show anger when we are hurt or scared. We show tears when we are happy. Emotions are strange things. And people tend to judge based on what their emotions are. And sometimes we can be strong for so long until we are so tired of being strong, that we dissolve into an emotional heap.

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I think that if we take the time to look behind the actions and emotions of another, we will better understand them and understand that often it is not about us. It is about what the person is feeling inside. For example, I know that when my son here starts puffing up and getting cranky, he is really nervous about whatever it is he is about to do. And so, when he get crotchety, I do not take it personally. I try to give him a boost of assurance so that he is not so nervous.

As emotions are something we all have….this is a good quote to remember. And so is understanding. If we take the time to understand what the other person is feeling, it makes us more compassionate and helps our own hearts.