Days of Grappling Emotion

ISN’T IT FASCINATING HOW VULNERABLE WE ARE TO TEMPERATURE? It wavers only ten degrees Celsius one way or the other and we freeze or fry; many of us are emotional in precisely the same way, especially the Myers-Briggs “feeling” types, which describes approximately 60 percent of the population.

We face a bleak day as we arise or the day is full of bells and whistles, joy abounding. As the day springs forth we’re swept up in our emotions, particularly in view of conflict and celebration—both occurring in relatively equal portions over life, give or take.

We carry the emotion with us in every interaction, always seeking to harness it and somehow put a lid on it.

But for the “feelers” in our midst—and for 3/5ths of us that’s us!—the spending, limiting and management of the emotions can be tortuous and exhausting.

I don’t really know but it seems that conflict and emotional battles are being waged more and more in my world; I’m sure it’s only my perception and perhaps it’s simply a season where I’m dealing with it more. At times I just seek to escape.

Days of emotion, one way or the other—high or low—are counterfeits, really, for the real deal, the equilibrium, of life. Still, counterfeit or not, we are bound very much to our natures. We need to accept them.

As Susan Boyle sings, “I am who I was born to be,” and we find ourselves emotional or not. We are who we are. To some extent we can revolt to the temptation to become upset or confused—or if we desire, ecstatically happy (not that many complain about the ups!)—but this is often little help.

As the pendulum of life swings to and fro, and we’re swept up in the tumbling of things, we must find time to reflect, time to escape the hustle and bustle tumultuous life where the aggressors would swallow us alive, and where equally there are those who’ll chase (with us) the pot of happy gold at the end of the emotional rainbow.

None of this is real.

But, somehow our emotions are. They are very “us.”

Steady as she goes is great, if we can only hold her there! Otherwise, just accept that today is one of those days of emotion and smile awkwardly into the mirror (you’ll laugh). Time perhaps to play a beautifully reflective song like Simon and Garfunkel’s, Bridge Over Trouble Water, or a Wintley Phipps’ rendition of It Is Well With My Soul.

Let the Spirit calm you.

© 2010 S. J. Wickham.