I am fireless when expressing my feelings. Why ?
People say: “You may get hurt” (and I do get hurt sometimes), they say: “Not everyone will appreciate it” (and some don’t), they also say: “Not everyone will understand your motives” (and some indeed don’t), people also say: “Some people might see it as ‘too much’” (and some do) …….
But then, I always feel that there is nothing to lose (only to gain) when expressing love and affection, as it adds warmth to this often cold and loveless world, a world that so much needs it.
It’s so easy to distance ourselves. It’s so easy to close off, stop expressing our feelings and let fear win. It is easy to limit, restrain, restrict, block ... easier than to face our fears and then let THEM go. As it is fears that we should let go of.
Feelings and emotions are there to be expressed and shared. Not to be walled in or as some say – ‘protected’. Protected from what exactly ? Without expressing and sharing feelings what are we ? We become dehumanized, shallow, cold, empty ……. making the world around us the same dehumanized, shallow, cold and empty place.
And then we start to complicate things to the point of becoming unable to even adequately respond to a heartfelt wish, or affectionate message, or any affectionate gesture, because we have built so many walls that we do not even know how to respond to someone whose heart is not caged, not restrained by fears, programming, concepts, rules …… some of which we even impose upon ourselves. It is when feelings start to be seen as a threat. And we stop feeling. Finding all possible 'reasonable' excuses and justifications for that. Dehumanising ourselves and spreading that energy of restraint all around us. Making this world a very sad place.
No, no and NO ! I will NEVER do that ! If the cost of expressing affection and love is to SOMETIMES get hurt, not appreciated enough, misunderstood, or misinterpreted, then – be it ! It isn’t my loss, is it ? Really not my loss ! (However, I will distance myself from any situation or person that it is trying to force me to limit, restrain and restrict my feelings and thus dehumanize myself. Or is unable to adequately respond and reciprocate. As other people’s blocks and fears are not mine to bear or to solve.)
So, I bravely keep feeling and expressing my affection and love, whenever my heart brims with them, bringing warmth and light into this world that so much needs it. And that makes me vibrantly alive and human. Truly human. Just that.
So, be brave, keep your mind and heart open, and keep expressing and sharing your feelings, let people know you appreciate them, love them, empatise with them - this world needs it. The last thing this world needs is more limiting, restraining, restricting and siding with fear. We have had quite enough of that already ! Be the change you want to see in this world !
Cultivate your feelings and their expression. Cultivate your heart and its connectedness to others. Fill it with emotions and let them bloom, let them sing. Let its song reach out to other hearts. Especially if you are an artist. Because:
"If nothing sings in you, you can't make music."
~ Leonard Bernstein
and also:
"Only from the heart you can touch the sky."
~ Rumi
As a side note, I feel so lucky and so privileged that as a pianist and an artist I get to share my deepest feelings and most profound emotions with so many people. To get to be on stage in recitals and concerts, or through my artwork, writings and books.
It is a privilege of getting to share love, getting to share deep emotions, and therefore getting to spread the light in me all over the world, making it a better place. I am deeply humbled and deeply grateful to be given that gift.
As it is truly an immense gift that I get to do this for a living.
Profoundly beautiful! Thank you Xenia.