Why Can’t We Shove Those Feelings Into a Box So They Never See The Light of Day?
Hurricane Ian Had Consequences
My hometown in Florida was spared Hurricane Ian’s direct path. My heart goes out to the people who weren’t so lucky, especially since I spent a week thinking I was about to be in their position.
As I told a friend, “Nothing happened, but I’m having a really hard time getting back on track. It feels like the worst kind of high-class problem.”
She stopped me there. “You’re feeling what you’re feeling. It’s legitimate. Pretending you don’t feel the way you feel won’t make it go away.”
Yes! I thought. But why is that? Why would escaping the terror of a category 5 hurricane have any impact other than relief? And what does that say about our experiences overall?
First and foremost, emotions aren’t neutral experiences. D’uh, you may rightly think. But I mean this on an energetic level—the body reacts to experiences in the environment, independent of our awareness. It’s automatic.
Such responses can include increases and decreases in heart rate and temperature, altered blood flow (when we blush or turn pale), sweating, and digestive issues. Historically, these reflexes have been primarily of interest to psychologists. More recently…
