If Eyes Could Talk

If eyes could talk what would they say?

Well, I believe that eyes do talk.
But they talk in sign language.
Emotional sign language.

(Isn't there a quote that says the eyes are the windows to our souls?)

If we are not "watching" and looking into the eyes of someone who is "speaking" in more than words, we may miss it.
Vocal words are not even necessary to "hear" when someone is internally happy or sad or heaven forbid, seductive.  (For some reason the latter is one of the most easily read messages?!)
Just look at their eyes. 

It can be fun and easy and emotionally much more comfortable to send a message just as I am doing here or via text or some other technological mode, but there is no substitute for human interaction.
For reading and seeing into the spirit, the soul of someone whose emotions may only be able to be expressed in their eyes.

We have all probably seen (or even been the one delivering ourselves) someone whose words did not match their eyes, their true feelings.
Someone who is saying they are happy or fine but whose reflection you see as masking some pain.

So just for today (sounds like my AL-anon pamphlet) look into just one person's eyes as you interact with them and maybe for the first time "see" them in a different way.
That someone may even be you, hiding behind a verbal facade. 

Then take the time to ask what is really being said.
(That's the hard part isn't it?  Which is why we will often "look the other way".)

Often, all that is needed from us is just a listening, understanding ear.
Then come back and share what happened.  (My eyes are sparkling with anticipating adventure and challenge right now!)


"Tearless grief bleeds inwardly".  ~Christian Nevell Bovee

 

We Ring Around The Rosie Until We All Fall Down

In some books, I have also read this as Ring a Ring o' Roses.

So how many of you have played Ring around the Rosie with your emotions until you all fall down?!

A recent incident of someone else's version reminded me of how often I used to play this childhood game... (as an adult).

Something would be emotionally upsetting for me and I would start singing the song, grabbing the hands of any and everyone around me, forcing them to join in whether they wanted to or not.


We would spin faster and the words would get louder, and muddled together until they were impossible to understand.


Sometimes it was because I was saying them so quickly or loudly (as in yelling them). 
And others because they weren't even cohesive.

They no longer made any sense as I added emotion-filled verses that no one knew and that had nothing to do with the original song of point.

Did I mention I was the only one singing?  (It was more like a boisterous rap.)

This would continue until I was exhausted and had drained all those in the circle.
It would finally end with ... and they all fall down!  as we emotionally collapsed to the ground.


I have since tried to be aware when these feelings start to arise, and work them out through what I call "sorting". 
 
This keeps me from having to publicly go 360 degrees to get to what the real emotion and need is that I am feeling.   (And to protect the innocent bystanders.)

"If you don't manage your emotions, then your emotions will manage you."  ~Doc Childre and Deborah Rozman, Transforming Anxiety



It also helps preserve the sound of real music.

 "Ring a Ring o' Roses"
Roud #7925
Musical variations of Ring a Ring o' Roses, Alice Gomme, 1898.

Men profess to be lovers of music, but for the most part they give no evidence in their opinions and lives that they have heard it.  ~Henry David Thoreau

Silly Putty

A few weeks ago my body felt like a hard plastic egg-
Filled with emotional Silly Putty.

I truly love the feel of Silly Putty.
Just like I enjoy how white paste tastes (it's been awhile, do they even make it anymore?)
And how Play-dough smells.

But when it happens to be my life that is getting manipulated,
it isn't the same effect.

Silly Putty has at least two ways of being stretched.
If you pull slowly you may be able to stretch it until the putty becomes a very thin piece.
The other option is to pull it in a way that it just snaps!
A clean break between the two pieces.

Well, I had the chance of experiencing both.

There were times when I felt I might just snap
And others when I felt that if I was stretched any more, 
I would just slowly break apart.
And crumple in a heap. 

Somehow with self-work and time passing,
my emotions were carefully compacted back into a ball,
And then put back nicely into my shell.

Thank goodness for the ability to remold,
For the chance to start over again.

That whether we get stretched out of our shape,
Or just snap,
We can still become a piece of art in the Master's hands.

"We should not be discouraged or depressed by our shortcomings. No one is without weakness. As part of the divine plan, we are tested to see whether we master weakness or let weakness master us. Proper diagnosis is essential to proper treatment. The Lord gave us this remarkable assurance: "Because thou hast seen thy weakness thou shalt be made strong". ~ Russell M. Nelson