I've always had a hard time
navigating emotions
probably because I didn't
see them embraced
or even understood
while I was growing up
it's not just something
we figure out how to do
one day on our own
we watch
people around us
paying close attention to their
emotional regulation
without realizing that's
what it's about
until that's all it's about
we embrace
or reject emotions
they're balanced
unbalanced
or somewhere in between
we learn to accept
that emotions are part
of who we really are
or we avoid them
completely
whether we understand
is up to our individual
adult selves
not up to society
the big influence on
whether emotions control
or inform
intrude
or are welcome
depends on
individual circumstances
it all depends on what
we've lived through
& what we know
emotional intelligence
is learned
it's informed
until it's embraced
until it's the norm
seriously all we know
is what someone else
has already known
but there's this realm
we don't quite know yet
we call it
the future
this is for your inner kid
this is for your soul
keep living
if not for tomorrow
live for today
