The other day, I was blessed to hear the delighted laugh of a small child who was having such fun. The joy this child was expressing through laughter was very contagious and it brought such a feeling of peace.
Children express a sense of wonder and interest in each new experience they have. As little ones, they don’t resist whatever they are feeling. If they are happy, they give a full belly laugh. If they are unhappy, they will wail and cry and let it out. They don’t hold back.
As adults, we have learned to ‘control ourselves’ and most of the time we do not give our emotions their full range of expression. While it is important to be mindful of where and how we express our emotions, it is important that we let them out, sooner rather than later. For example, when we are angry, it is imperative to find a healthy outlet to release that emotion, rather than just tamping it down where it will settle in our bodies and create disease, aches, and pains, or by taking it out on others. When we feel sad, crying is a healthy way to release the sadness. And when we are happy, we release that in the form of smiles and laughter.
We are meant to enjoy ourselves, to be creative, and to express ourselves. By letting ourselves fully experience and give expression to how we feel, we will live a much richer and more fulfilling life.
Our feelings are not there to be cast out or conquered. They’re there to be engaged and expressed with imagination and intelligence.
T. K. Coleman
The Weekly Post 