Emotion is a force to reckon with, an adversary that irresponsibly that takes control of my very being. It’s true, just look at how we describe emotions and the power ascribed to emotional forces. For example I can be:

– Blinded by rage

– Consumed with grief

– Overcome with despair

– Crippled with anxiety

– Driven by longing

There’s oppositional force endowed on emotions. We’re overcome, dealing with emotions can be a battle, we can be rendered victims of our emotions and become as helpless as puppets. Picture yourself as the puppet burdened with emotions and the puppeteer pulling the strings, manipulating responses and actions.

I visualise emotions as being inside me, the presence of those emotions made known through physiological sensations, like crying, or not crying and all the while trying to keep it together, keep it together.

The challenge is not to conquer or hold back our emotions but to allow them to be expressed authentically and appropriately, even if that means not ‘keeping it together’ on occasion. I’d like to be informed by my emotions rather than overcome (or taken over) by them.

Trying…