Ocean moods
We had satellite radio in the rental car while we were traveling. My husband and I like to listen to talk radio. One of the hosts did a commentary on how much more often children are being diagnosed as bipolar.
I value a full range of emotions, it seems to me that way too often genuine emotion is treated as something wrong that needs to be fixed, mostly for the comfort, emotional peace, hidden fear, of those around the emotional person. The natural exuberance of a child has to be calmed down, the tears have to be hushed as quick as possible. The teen dealing with all sorts of new emotions is ignored or squelched (everyone is too busy) rather than taught how to appropriately express those emotions in healthy ways. When those emotions get too strong to handle they rebel or express them in destructive ways both to self and others. Then, there must be something medically wrong so we have to get them on some kind of medication so they can be handled again.
Even as adults it seems to be much more socially acceptable to be walking around as a zombie void of feelings or drugged out on antidepressants or whatever you can use to get by, than to express genuine emotion.
I went through a time in my life where I had so suppressed my emotions that I didn’t feel anything. I was in a serious depression. I walked around as a zombie, the life of the living dead. It was no life. Yet no one seemed to notice or care at that time. Yet in finally coming out of that and being able to look back on that experience is why I value the life that comes with genuine emotion of all kinds.
Several years later I went through an extremely difficult time in my life, rather than go back to suppressing my feelings to make it through, I sought a listening ear so I could process through some of that genuine grief and extreme anger. Rather than a listening ear I found those who were quick to try to fix me, not by hearing, but, by telling me to go take antidepressants. I finally had to pay a therapist while I processed through the emotions. The therapist did not give advice, did not recommend medication, just listened.
The value of a listening ear, the value of acceptance of what ever mood each individual is in at any given moment, the value of emotion, of laughter, of tears, of anger,of contrariness.
I love the ocean, it is so moody, so changeable from one moment to the next, the tide is never the same, the whether changes so quickly. There is so much power but yet a peacefulness. I could watch it forever.
I make it a practice to appreciate & accept the changeableness of people as much as the changeableness in so much of nature around us. Because of that I have no problem with getting along with many who others avoid. I love them and value the richness they bring to my life.