No, this is not an article speaking against people who are named Hannah. The title is in reference to the 1924 song by Ella Fitzgerald. The chorus of the song goes, "They call her hard-hearted Hannah, the vamp of Savannah, the meanest gal in town. Leather is tough, but Hannah's heart is tougher. She's a gal who loves to see men suffer."

It has become second nature and almost fashionable to be "tough" -- to not display our emotions and act like we do not care, rather than show how we truly feel. Revenge has become more popular than forgiveness, and turning the cheek has become a distant memory. Quite frankly, if this trend continues, it will be a frightful time to live in. I bring up this topic because I myself am guilty of it. I don't like showing my emotions often; they make me feel weak and vulnerable, and that is not the way that I want people to see me. As I look at it, though, it is the people who can truly express their emotions and face them who are the strongest. It is far easier to pretend that you do not feel a certain way than it is to embrace and face it.

If we try to be "hard-hearted Hannahs," then all we are doing is being weak -- taking the easy way out by hiding our true feelings. "To tease them and thrill 'em, to torture and kill 'em is her delight, they say. I saw her at the seashore with a great big pan; there was Hannah pourin' water on a drownin' man." Hiding our emotions -- our anger and our hurt -- is not going to make those feelings disappear. One way or another, our emotions always come through, like when you hold in your anger as your boss yells at you, only to take it out on your loved ones when you get home. This is not to suggest that you should yell at your boss, of course; however, we should be able to express our emotions in a proper manner, rather than bottling them up.

Whether you are hurt after a breakup, or someone treats you unfairly, do not let a few negative experiences cause you to harden your heart towards others. Without love and compassion, you are no better than those who hurt you. It may appear easier to harden your heart to protect yourself, but in reality, you are doing yourself a disservice. Keeping an open, loving, forgiving and compassionate heart will not always be easy, and you will, at times, get hurt. Just remember that in doing so, you are making the world a little better -- a little more loving and less hateful and hurting. So don't be a "hard-hearted Hannah;" don't let the actions of others steal your love and joy. Instead, allow it to only intensify.