My senior year of high school, my high school AP European History teacher did a simulation that showed the differences between deism and theism. He pretended to receive a call from his aunt, then talked about death and God's part in it all. I felt so bad for him, felt my chest constrict and my breath catch as I remembered my own experiences with loss. I noticed the word "theism" behind him on the Smartboard. The phone in the classroom rang again and he received a call about his aunt yet again. This time, the word on the board changed to "deism," as he described death and God's place in the universe quite differently. I realized it was a simulation, realized it was not real, and I found myself rushing out of the classroom to burst into tears. I was not upset by the simulation, rather I was taken aback by how affected I had been by him receiving that call -- the emotions had nowhere to go and when I realized it was fake, I cried to let them out. I remember trudging back to the classroom, the classroom of one of the teachers I respected most. I apologized for how emotional I'd become and explained. "Never apologize for being emotional," he told me. "It's a good thing."
That stuck with me. I don't cry at the drop of a hat. I cry when I am extremely frustrated. I cry when I am very sad. I cry when I am very worried or anxious or affected by a situation. My emotions are sometimes unpredictable, but so are those of others.
Being emotional means you feel. You feel things deep in your chest, you are affected by so much. That is not to say that less emotional people do not feel, but those who are more emotional feel incredibly strongly. We are the hopeless romantics, the ones who fall for the dreamy eyes and the hope for a future to share with the one we love. Just because you cry does not mean you are not strong. It takes a strong person to hold back their tears, but also to let them roll down their cheeks without regard for what anyone else thinks.
Do not ever apologize for being emotional. I have apologized for reacting emotionally in times in which it was not called for. This you learn. It is a lesson you must learn, one that you'll take care to hold onto. Being emotional is not bad. It is not shameful, sad, or anything of that sort. Controlling emotions is good, but never be sorry that they are there to begin with -- it means you are human.
Be emotional. Cry, laugh, feel, or don't, but let it come naturally. Surround yourself with people who accept your feelings and who validate them when you need it. Do the same for them. Do that, and you're on your way to turning your emotions into those of positivity and motivation, and living a happier life.
