Emotions. We all have them, but we don't all experience them the same way. Some people can block them out, or even convince themselves that they didn't have them in the first place. However, if you are like me, you are not one of those people. I wear my emotions on my sleeve, not by choice, but it is just who I am. However, it is a little more than just that. For me, emotions are extremely intense. I guess the best way to describe it is that it seems like everyone around me feels sad, but I feel morose. My excitement is uncontainable, my guilt is irrepressible, my hurt is absolutely suffocating. Every feeling is amplified, and if you are like me, you know that this can be a lonely way to exist.
Emotions. They are viewed like a sickness in our society. People are uncomfortable with tears, because we have created a culture where feelings are considered to be a weakness. We have learned that emotions are a feminine curse that will only inhibit you from reaching your goals. This is a lie. This is a lie that we have created and continue to cultivate every time a little boy is told to quit being such a girl when he shows how he feels, or a woman is viewed as cold and harsh because she can't show her heart for the sake of her career. But maybe this problem runs even deeper.
Maybe, emotions are dangerous. Maybe they expose the soft spots in our heart, that if revealed, will be exploited. We are living in a world where everyone is out for themselves. People will cut you down just to give themselves a better fighting chance. We are living in world of inflated self importance, where we value our own well being over that of others. I think we are losing our ability to empathize. This could be why being emotional is such a difficult existence. You scare people. You show them what life looks like with no filter, no barrier between you and the people who are ready and waiting to hurt you. By being emotional, you are putting trust in a world that has proven not to be trust worthy. If you look at it this way maybe you seem brave or maybe you just seem crazy. It may appear to others that you have a complete disregard for your own well being, but it is a lot simpler than that. It is just who you are.
Being an emotional person isn't easy. It is like riding a roller coaster every single day. You never know what is up ahead or how it is going to affect you. However, the important part about being this kind of person, is that people need you. People are going to seek you out for comfort because they know you understand, that you've been there. You are going to be expected to give and give and give, with the knowledge that you are probably not going to experience what it is like to be on the receiving end. This is your burden to bear. You are the one that is going to be disappointed and hurt more than anyone else, but with each heartbreak, you are becoming more equipped to help someone else. You know what it is like to face difficult times without someone understanding you, so with that knowledge, love unconditionally, help those who need your help, and never forget that your emotions are not your weakness, they are your strength.
