Sweet Pea Momments / Naked Tears

Image by Hypergurl - Tanya Ann via Flickr

I had a great chance to teach my oldest about managing her emotions. I have spent most of my life feeling trapped by the tears that want to fall every time i need to talk about something that is challenging, frustrating, makes me sad, or gives me pain. This has left me quiet when I needed to speak or feeling humiliated or embarrassed when the tears start of fall.

Randy wanted to watch a movie with me before their bedtime and the kids were not paying much attention to him till he barked out that they need to get out of the living room and go to their rooms. Kay in her surprise began to cry. Randy followed up with a rather hash conversation about how he didn't want her to cry when he told her to do something.

At 1st my sympathetic heart went out to Kay but after talking to Randy I realized that this was the time to teach her how to choose when and with whom she would let her deep emotions be shared.

It was awesome. I really hope she can internalize this concept. Don't bottle up your emotions just make a choice as to who and when you are going to share them. If you let your emotions out as soon as you feel them then you are not in control and they will end up controlling you. Our heart felt emotions should be shared on purpose after prayer and only with those that we can show the nakedness of our heart. Keeping your nakedness private made sense to her and now that she can see it in light of her emotions I pray that she will make some better stronger choices.

I also see letting your emotions out without a plan is similar to starting a boat getting it going full tilt among many boaters and then running to the back and covering your head hoping not to crash before you run back to catch the wheel. Exhilarating, freeing, dangerous and possibly deadly.