I was up early today. And when I wake up and can not get back to sleep my mind goes a wandering. This morning, after thinking about how if Mark did not work so far away from where we live I would just remodel this house in stead of trying to sell it, I thought about emotions. I do not know why.
As I lay on the couch thinking (trying to drift off back to sleep) I came up with an analogy. Mark hates that I am always using analogies. It drives him crazy.
Emotions are like uninvited guests to a party. You put together a party, complete with food and beer. Say a Fourth of July Party. You are all having a good time when the door bell rings. You open the door to find a group of people that you do not care for very much. They heard about the party and came over. You begrudgingly let them in (mistake number one). They begin to act as they always do. Eating all the food, drinking too much beer and making a huge mess. Your other guests, the invited ones that you enjoy, start to leave. Soon you are left with only the uninvited guests and a mess. They can not leave because they are too drunk to drive anywhere. Then they pass out. You clean up around them and are feeling extremely worn out. As soon as you are done and ready to go rest yourself, they start to stir. They want something to take their headache away. They want something to drink. They want something to eat. It is never ending. You are fearing the cycle will begin again and wonder if they will ever leave.
How does this apply to emotions? In this way:
You let an emotion in. A bad one (depression, sadness, anger). Instead you should talk to it on the front porch maybe. Or you let it in for a bit and then politely tell it is time to leave. But you do not entertain said emotions. It makes things worse and they get deeper and deeper until you feel as if there is no way out and that it will never end. Also, by letting these emotions in, you drive away the good emotions. The ones you enjoy (happiness, contentment). If you do not allow your emotions to set up camp, then you can keep them at bay. If you let that emotion in and you allow them to get comfy, you are going to have a harder time kicking them out. They will begin to rule the house instead of you.
It may not be the best analogy. It may not make much sense. But that is what went through my mind this morning at four.
Now if you will excuse me I have some cookies to bake and some playing in the backyard to do today. And setting Mark's alarm for something other than four so he can then continue to hit the snooze button for the next hour. Some of us do not need to wake up gradually. Some of us once we hear Awesome God coming out of the radio can not get back to sleep.
No uninvited guests please.
As I lay on the couch thinking (trying to drift off back to sleep) I came up with an analogy. Mark hates that I am always using analogies. It drives him crazy.
Emotions are like uninvited guests to a party. You put together a party, complete with food and beer. Say a Fourth of July Party. You are all having a good time when the door bell rings. You open the door to find a group of people that you do not care for very much. They heard about the party and came over. You begrudgingly let them in (mistake number one). They begin to act as they always do. Eating all the food, drinking too much beer and making a huge mess. Your other guests, the invited ones that you enjoy, start to leave. Soon you are left with only the uninvited guests and a mess. They can not leave because they are too drunk to drive anywhere. Then they pass out. You clean up around them and are feeling extremely worn out. As soon as you are done and ready to go rest yourself, they start to stir. They want something to take their headache away. They want something to drink. They want something to eat. It is never ending. You are fearing the cycle will begin again and wonder if they will ever leave.
How does this apply to emotions? In this way:
You let an emotion in. A bad one (depression, sadness, anger). Instead you should talk to it on the front porch maybe. Or you let it in for a bit and then politely tell it is time to leave. But you do not entertain said emotions. It makes things worse and they get deeper and deeper until you feel as if there is no way out and that it will never end. Also, by letting these emotions in, you drive away the good emotions. The ones you enjoy (happiness, contentment). If you do not allow your emotions to set up camp, then you can keep them at bay. If you let that emotion in and you allow them to get comfy, you are going to have a harder time kicking them out. They will begin to rule the house instead of you.
It may not be the best analogy. It may not make much sense. But that is what went through my mind this morning at four.
Now if you will excuse me I have some cookies to bake and some playing in the backyard to do today. And setting Mark's alarm for something other than four so he can then continue to hit the snooze button for the next hour. Some of us do not need to wake up gradually. Some of us once we hear Awesome God coming out of the radio can not get back to sleep.
No uninvited guests please.
Comments
Love ya!
Lisa
I struggled with depression a few times. I mostly now just strgulle with controlling emotions in general. I happened to notice that the deal is not even letting them in. Cry and move on. Vent and move on. Tell someone you are mad at them and why and let it go. I am so bad about not letting go.
So this morning that is what came to mind. No idea why....lack of sleep???
I hope it is helpful for Tim, in some way. (: