Feeling “This Way”

I watch my daughter holding her youngest daughter who is crying. Actually, it is something between a cry and a scream. I do not know the word to describe this inconsolable wrenching wail coming from a shaking little two-year-old.

It is not that anything terrible has happened. She has not fallen or hurt herself. No one has taken anything from her. She is not frightened. But she appears utterly heartbroken, caught between impossible alternatives.

Feelings II

I am so grateful for thoughtful blog responses that challenge me to think more deeply about something I have posted.

Jaqueline’s comment on my post “Feelings I,” particularly the “Attachment to Negative Feelings” section has caused me to continue to think about this issue. Of course, anything I say comes only from my personal experience, reflects my experience, and can never be mandated as the necessary pattern for any other person’s personal experience.

Feelings I

It is possible to learn a lot from watching a two-year-old. A toddler is in many ways a miniature of the adult she will later become. One of the things that becomes quickly evident watching a small child is what a powerful role feelings play in our lives.