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NOT ALWAYS HAPPY, HAPPY, HAPPY
Is Being ‘Nice and Calm’ Always a Good Thing?
How Emotions Deepen our Human Experience
“The greater the level of calmness of our mind, the greater our peace of mind, the greater our ability to enjoy a happy and joyful life.” Dalai Lama
Is calm always a good thing? What if that unflappable hush translates to “dead on the inside”?
Yesterday. An explosive pop accompanied the peeling back of my red pepper dip’s plastic cover. Squash-coloured globules shrapnelled me. My muffin top — now more of a hard souffle — looked like I’d just walked in on Jackson Pollock. I wiped chunks from my knuckles, chin, and left shoulder.
And not a sigh escaped. No “fuuuu¢…” went flying. I displayed a nice, calm, emotionless exterior and just carried on. Wiped away pepper entrails. Tugged carrots from their sack.
Anyone spying in through my window may have questioned, “Is this chick preparing a snack or meditating?”
Later, I asked myself, “Am I empty inside?”
North American society considers emotions — especially women’s — problematic. Newsflash: they’re not.
There’s a very good reason they exist. Feelings keep us safe. They intensify our existence and our…
