Master Your Emotions

That’s the title of a book I heard about but haven’t read. And, honestly I don’t think I am interested to read it. 

So why am I talking about it now? 

Simply, it’s title inspired me to write what I am going to share in this post.

And since I have no idea what’s in the book, please don’t mistake this for a review or a critique. You can say… it’s one of my philosophical musings.

Well, mastering your emotions is … a bit complicated process. 

You know why? 

Because things might spiral out of control.

No necessarily because of you but because of the power of stimulation.

So imagine, just imagine, you open the window and see your neighbour wearing this Churchill-cat smile as they offer food to a tired, lost, and hopeless cat. 

You smile, then turn away to look at other things with happy and kind emotions overflowing inside you. 

An hour later, you hear desperate, heartbreaking meows.

You rush back to the window, and there is the neighbour—hitting, kicking, and tormenting the poor cat. 

Why? You wonder. 

You call out to the neighbour, to have some mercy, some kindness, some humanity. 

But no.

She turns deaf ears and blind eyes to whatever you say, beg, or plead.

How would you feel, then?

How can you master your anger and disgust?

Well… that depends.

If you doubt their sanity, or if they show critical symptoms of cruelty, sharp tongues, or… power.

The first tactic might be to avoid them. Once you’ve gotten away, you may pray that hell become their eternal home soon, and with the rest of the devils.

The second tactic might be to pretend that nothing happened, as if the cat has no soul, as if the neighbour were joking, as if it were all fictional. But, since that’s a big lie, the neighbour will laugh at you, at your silence, your weakness, and… your inability to stand up even for a poor cat.

The third tactic might be to open your door to the poor soul; feed it, heel it, and cuddle it. In other words; be the kind, the love, and the human. And, let the neighbour watch, or perhaps laugh, or perhaps burn with anger. 

And, one day, we will all reap the harvest of our own deeds.

Sometimes you can master your emotions, but have you ever wondered why, when, and at what cost? 

With hope and peace,

Nahla