A long time ago I was advised, firmly but gently, by the TAO, that I must control my emotions when I am dealing with life matters. The problem, is that I am a very emotional being. I always have been. That’s the good news and the bad news. And when life matters that are important to me, when they are dear to my heart, and I feel empathy or anger from danger or plight, the first thing that I do is cry. I cry because I feel so much, and at times feel helpless, wishing that there were more that I could do.
The reason that I was advised that I must control my emotions is because when one gets emotional and overwhelmed by feelings it is difficult to be levelheaded, which is needed to think clearly. I was advised to address the issue by merging with the situation, and by merging with it, one creates the environment needed for a solution to arise. Don’t waste energy protesting or complaining. Except the ‘isness’ of the moment: This is how it is. Then act from being, not ego. Actually the last two sentences were my additional advice to myself. :) But nonetheless, good advice all around – thank you TAO.
Now, because of my blog, I have much more exposure to world issues and matters. I dive much more deeply into things that touch me deeply. Therefore, I have had to heed this advice or I would mostly be a wet-eyed, tear-stained face, useless mess of a girl, going nowhere, lost in her emotions and drowning in unresolved affairs. Okay…that’s pretty dramatic…so maybe not that bad, but on some issues, yes, I was that bad.
Quick to tears, I still am, but now I don’t let me emotions overwhelm me…well most of the time I don’t. I allow myself a few minutes, no more. And then, like I have said here before, the words, ‘Deal with it’ pops into my head and stop my tears in their tracks. They are words that I say to myself all of the time, else I would be that girl described above a lot more.
And what good would I be to anyone then? Compassion is a wonderful quality that I do pride myself in having. I used to think that if I didn’t emotionally feel…if I didn’t physically feel (tears), I wasn’t compassionate, I wasn’t alive. Compassion alone only goes so far. I have learned that I can still feel really deeply about something, not be overwhelmed by my emotions, and actually do something that can help. To have an impact and create change, compassion needs to be hand in hand with action.
So why am I writing all of this? I got on the Huff Po last night and saw the photos of the animals soaked and matted with oil from the BP spill.
An oil covered seabird sits on the beach at East Grand Terre Island along the coast of Louisiana, June 3. As the Gulf of Mexico oil spill continues to extend, concern is growing for the wildlife that stand in its path, especially since many of the coastal animals are currently in their reproductive seasons.
I posted this photo wondering what was going on in the mind of this bird. One day this bird is in Paradise and the next day in peril, and having no clue as to why. And this morning I can still feel my emotions begin to arise (I am still learning :) I am so familiar with this feeling now; it is the same feelings I get when I receive a PETA catalog in the mail, or read about women being abused.
But now, I can still feel compassionate but I am able to deal with it, and every day I get stronger and stronger, and I learn how to deal with it better and better. And yes, when I am in a calm state accepting the ‘isness’ of the moment, I create the environment for solutions to arise.
But today, as I stare as this photo of this bird matted in oil, I am calm, but I have no solution. I can only feel its pain and confusion…and I wish I was there to give this bird care, and return her to paradise.
Readers: This bird can not flap its wings, but you thankfully can still flap your lips. Does anyone have any solutions for this monstrous disaster that this oil spill is causing? Blog me.
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Hi Helena: How are you? Nice to hear from you. I have nothing to add to your comment except to say that your point is well said.
Beatrice: Please don’t take this personally as I would say this to anyone asking this request. I am sure that you will understand, once I explain:
If I posted your photo today, everyone else would then blog me expecting me to post theirs. The reason why I posted a photo of Zen Lill is because she has not only been an avid reader of my blog for over two years now, but she is a regular commentator and has a following. If you or anyone else puts the time and dedication that ZL does into my blog and you too have a following, then I would most certainly consider posting your picture. But I am sorry, not until then.
So ladies and gentlemen…readers of my blog, do not e-mail me any photos or send them to me via the post office. I will not be posting them on my blog, nor will I return them. Thank you.
Zen Lill: Well….hey, nice to know I’d be on your radar should that thought ever come to mind :) I liked your comment to ‘Disappointed’ in regards to loving yourself – well said. Speaking of…
Disappointed: I wasn’t sure if Zen Lill was going to ignor you or say something, and I wanted to follow her lead so I withheld my comment to you until now. And since she did, I will give you my two. It seems to me that when a man cuts down a woman as you have, it is not only rude, and disrespectful (What did she do to you to deserve such words?), but what this really tells me is that you know that you’ll never get close to anything as pretty as this woman. That’s what men like yourself do when they know they can’t have it – they cut a woman down like what she has is nothing special (She’s not good enough for me!) They reject before they are rejected. Yeah, that’s your ticket all right.
Lastly, greed over a great story is surfacing from my ‘loyal’(?) readers. With all this back and forth about who owns what, that appears on my blog, let me reiterate that all material posted on my blog becomes the sole property of my blog. If you want to reserve any proprietary rights don’t post it to my blog. I will prominently display this caveat on my blog from now on to remind those who may have forgotten this notice.
Gratefully your blog host,
michelle
Aka BABE: We all know what this means by now :)
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