Immersion in Emotion

Sofia Ponomareva

Project 3

Immersion in Emotion

The only way through an emotion is to absorb in it, let it envelope you, and it will travel through you like a ghost. Then it will wisp away.

To do this in real life is an approach that, if successful, yields results.

Early in my years, I had boyfriends. Feeling heartbroken came next. What did I do? I did nothing: tried to cope, tried to distract myself and even become friends.

I felt a burning sensation. I said to myself, let me feel it!

Walk with the burning in my chest, let it be there.

I allowed my feeling to exist, rather than to bury it down. I wrote my heartbroken poetry (which is good poetry by the way) and I cried sometimes. Through it all, I wanted to stay friends. In order to do so, my inner heart of emotion had to morph. It had to change.

It had to have a chemical reaction, and become the feeling of care by itself rather than romantic love. Many run away from this change, lest feel pain, however denying a broken heart only delays pain, and prevents detachment.

I wrote to myself: "There are so many 'fish in the seas' and I can only choose one. Let it be someone new who wants to be there. Out of so many fish in the seas, choosing one will entail a great journey to make mistakes in order to find the perfect Goldilocks' choice. Therefore, let this one go, girl." It felt good to reflect upon my diary note throughout my life.

I also knew the following: Along life's journey, my emotions are the key to feeling good. Every time I love someone, I need to let it envelope me, so then I can feel complete. The emotion will pass by on its own after that, and friendship will be possible.

Next, when friendship becomes bearable, I can say to myself:

"You know what pain is. You know what love is. You know what grief is......"

--Mitch Albom

And......

"I have experienced that emotion. I recognize that emotion. Now I need to detach from that emotion for a moment."--Mitch Albom

And in this way, I can detach. I feel enlightened and move on:

"If you hold back on emotions-if you don't allow yourself to go all the way through them-you can never get to being detached, you're too busy being afraid. You're afraid of the pain, you're afraid of the grief. You're afraid of the vulnerability that love entails."--Mitch Albom , in Tuesdays with Morrie

"Learn to detach...Don't cling to things, because everything is impermanent...

But detachment doesn't mean you don't let the experience penetrate you.

On the contrary, you let it penetrate fully.

That's how you are able to leave it..."

--Mitch Albom

It works with other things too:

"Take any emotion-love for a woman or grief for a loved one, or...fear and pain from a deadly illness."--Mitch Albom

I honestly recommend this endurance of emotion: embracing to let go. It sounds ironic, but feels healing. Remember, the logic in your mind is always there if you feel that you've had enough of an emotion: like sadness, grief, etc. Trust yourself. Furthermore, remember that it is going to be okay.

Warning: If you feel a constant sadness, and this technique doesn't work, I advise to check out a professional psychologist. This link may help to find one: http://www.local.com/results.aspx?keyword=psychologist&cid=275889&utm_source=Yahoo-Gemini&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=Psychiatrists&utm_term=psychologist

Mitch Albom is an author alive today. Morrie Schwartz, Mitch's former college professor who was dying of ALS, gave him the advice that is quoted above. Mitch took Morrie's wisdom, and rewrote it in his famous book Tuesdays with Morrie. Morrie greatly inspired Mitch Albom's life and career. Morrie still inspires everyone who reads this memoir; written by a faithful, former student.

Mitch's biography is located here: http://mitchalbom.com/bio

Tuesdays with Morrie can be purchased here: http://www.amazon.com/Tuesdays-Morrie-Young-Greatest-Lesson/dp/076790592X

Mitch Albom answers questions! Feel free to write him a letter on his website!

Works Cited

Albom, Mitch. "Mitch Albom Bio." Mitch Albom. Mitch Albom, 2014. Web. 4 Aug. 2015.

<http://mitchalbom.com/bio>.

Albom, Mitch. "Quotes About Tuesdays With Morrie." Goodreads. Goodreads Inc, 2015. Web. 4

Aug. 2015. <http%3A%2F%2Fwww.goodreads.com%2Fquotes%2Ftag%2Ftuesdays-with-morrie>.

Fahkry, Tony. Your Authentic Self. Generate, 2010. Web. 3 Aug. 2015.

<http%3A%2F%2Ftonyfahkry.tumblr.com%2Fpost%2F2084554463%2Flearn-to-detachdont-cling-to-things-because>.