My son has been put on a new medicine that has made a tremendous difference. Since the last post, he has come some distance from the emotional place he was at. He still deals with depression; however, daily conversations with him help to let him know I’m here for him. I remind him that he’s not alone and even when our emotions sometimes take control, we can come back to a place of sharing. One area that I’m challenged in is listening. We can hear someone speak to us but are we listening to what they are really saying? I have to admit that I fall short sometimes. There are times when I am quick to respond even though I do understand what he’s saying because I may not agree with it or be okay with it. I have to steady myself and listen until he’s finished saying what he needs to say. Sometimes I don’t think it’s about whether I agree or not but more about being able to unburden your heart to someone who cares. That’s not just for him, but all the members of my family. I think our “emotions” validate us in such a serious way. I “feel” says I’m alive, whether I’m happy, sad, in pain or joyous. God gave us emotions as tools to balance our lives. “Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:” (Ephesians 4:26) (The Thompson Chain-Reference Bible, 1982, King James Version). The point is that our emotions are not supposed to control us. They may validate us but only in the scope that they help define us when we respond to external and internal stimuli. Our emotions show us what needs to change in our inner selves. The reason emotions are so important is that the compassion we are supposed to have for our fellow-man would not be possible if we didn’t have emotions. We just need to have a healthy handle on them.
