GROWN MEN WITH EMOTIONS IN CHECK

Grown men are expected to keep their emotions in check.

They need to keep calm and carry on.

Add grown women in there, too.

We have expectations of emotional maturity.

I know I do, but there are times. For example:

I remember spending time at my grandparents’ house in the summer, then meeting my family halfway in between each house for the return home.

It was a sad time leaving the calm and quiet of older people.

Now I’m older than they were and working on the calm quiet part that comes with age.

I’ve got grandkids who want to go home when they come over.

I encourage them to be noisy and raucous. It doesn’t take much.

Why do grown men enjoy whooping it up with grandkids?

It’s the sound of life, a good life.

Call it a phase.

 

Keeping Emotions In Check For The Common Good

When someone asks you, “Why do you sound like you’re on the verge of panic all the time?’

You: Because that’s how I talk. I’m a panic talker.

Someone: Alarming.

You: Grown men can sound alarming. You know, dial it up, and still keep their emotions in check.

Someone: Yes, they can. Are you a coach?

You: No.

Someone: A teacher?

You: No, I’m a writer.

Someone: Oh, a writer?

You: A blogger.

Someone: Are you one or the other?

You:

 

Emotions In Check? Check

Grown men can sound like anyone else, but they choose to keep their emotions in check.

Others see this and wonder why they are so locked down.

It’s okay to express your emotions, they say.

I do, you say.

Sure doesn’t seem like it, they say.

 

Judging others based on how they express their feelings is tricky.

What about being able to cry on cue?

To shout without being angry?

It’s called acting with actor tears and actor angry voice.

But you’re not an actor, so why the act?

Maybe you have deep feelings on world events?

This ought to clear things up.

 

 

Any questions?

Getting organized is apparently the answer.

If that leaves too many loose ends, this will tie them up.

 

 

Does this make you think there’s a relationship between violence and food?

They say an army travels on its stomach, so there’s that.

Displaced people eat at refugee centers.

I believe my emotions are in check because I’m neither a soldier or a refugee.

It would be different if I was? If you were?

 

Checking In On Grown Men

Are all grown men the same?

Not at first, but they get that way.

Call it conformity.

We learn.

We learn we can’t punch someone in the face and call it communication.

We learn we can’t do our own thing when we join a team.

We learn to share when we get married, or we don’t stay married.

What happens with kids? We learn to share all of our hard earned wisdom.

They get tired of hearing it with, “You already said that.”

Which leads to rising voices and panic.

Sound like the circle of life yet?

It might if you’re a grown man with your emotions in check.

Or a grown woman.

I’m a grown man. You?