Some blog posts take off into long discussions and sometimes the discussions wander off into a subject that is totally unrelated to the original subject of the blog post. It has happened to a few of my posts and I have seen this happen in other blog posts. The latest that I have come across is a blog post by Jean that innocuously started off with the topic “Interesting Challenge”. I urge my readers who do not visit Jean’s blog to visit this particular post and go through all the comments and Jean’s responses to get a feel for what is about to follow in this post.
There is a particular exchange between Bikehikebabe, Ursula, Mike, Evan and Cathy which discusses about how men do or do not discuss anything to do with emotions! This is my attempt at doing precisely that in the context of Jean’s post and its aftermath. I would also take exception to Evan’s assertion about the Dalai Lama, but that is for another blog post. This is about my understanding of my emotions and how I manage them.
I accept that I am emotional and wear my heart on my sleeve. I cry easily and do not hesitate to cry in public. If that is not being manly, so be it. I laugh loudly at anything that amuses me and can express my anger at the drop of a hat. I believe that all of us have both masculine and feminine aspects to our personalities and that both should be allowed to have free rein to express themselves. The Yin/Yang and the Ardhanarishwara principles.
The idea that one should suppress one’s emotions does not appeal to me. I think that emotions are natural phenomenon which should be allowed to be experienced and acted on. I try to separate myself from the emotions that crop up and examine and feel them when as they occur. I try and and create a path for them to happen but try and not let them derail me. I try to use the emotions like frustration and anger to propel myself into action of some sort. I have had deeply emotionally affecting events like death of loved ones and also uplifting moments and I have seen to it that they have not remained for long as mill wheels around my neck. I have been able to do this by managing focus.
I also believe that a strong value system and high self esteem allows for effective management of emotions as they arise. I am blessed with both and also have enough concern to ensure that either or both do not cause harm to others.
And, no I don’t think that I am superman or anything like that. I believe that with proper training and understanding of oneself emotions can be managed.
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