Why do some people run from their feelings?  Why do they seek to become numb by using drugs, diving head first into their careers or other endeavors, or by totally blocking out all mental recognition of their emotions?  Is it the overwhelming sensation of fear, pain, or uncertainty that drives them away?  Have you ever heard someone say that they want to get away from all the love, happiness and peace that they feel?  I haven't.  I believe that I have felt almost every existing level of every emotion mentionable.  I've been so high on happiness and joy that I could kiss Jehovah's feet and so low in depression that I could feel the flames of hell.  Each feeling ripped through my flesh like a Samurai's Katana and drove through my heart like The Transporter in his Audi A-8.

 

I've found myself in the situation of having to really analyze my relationships with people. I have to ask myself: "What do I gain from knowing and interacting with this person and what is it COSTING me?" I've found out that a lot of people fail or simply refuse to ask themselves those questions, and they usually end up hurt in the end. Some may think it's selfish to ask such questions, and they may add that it's not polite to itemize your relationships. But this isn't simply noting the give and take for the sake of keeping score. This is taking a personal inventory of your dealings with others for the sake of personal security!

I really get frustrated when I'm talking to a friend or relative that doesn't understand their own emotions. It really 'grinds my gears' when people say things like, "I don't know why I love him/her" or "I don't know why I did/said that!" I know that there are SEVERAL unknowns in the world, but our own feelings shouldn't be one of them! We go through life making most of our choices based on thoughts, feelings and emotions that we haven't analyzed, and when some of those choices don't work out for our best interest, we blame it on the other factors that led to that choice, instead of considering that we should have been sure of how we really felt before moving forward in the first place.