By GG, TIWP Student

Longing. Yearning. Aching. Craving. Desire is a funny thing. With desire comes longing. The desire to belong, to fit in, to be likeable, mixed with the desire to be yourself without shame or fear. It is in our nature to crave connection, it’s why shame is born. In the early days the desire to fit in was essential to survival, to work as a team, now when individuality is prompted, our shame and longing holds us back. People can also long for other things like a piece or jewelry or a particular food. Longing comes in many forms to match our many desires.

Love. Devotion. Adoration. Intimacy. Attachment comes in many forms. Connection born from a friendship, a partnership, or family. There are different kinds of love made for different people. The love of a mother or a father is deep but can be harsh. The love of a partner is unconditional but complicated. The love of a friend is strong but can be broken easily with a lack of trust. It’s important to have love in your life to balance out your emotions. It’s important to have bonds and people to turn to for support. Love comes in many forms to provide a space to be vulnerable when needed most.

Insecurity. Fear. Anxiety. Uncertainty. Self doubt can be consuming. It can control our thoughts and our actions. It can breed fear and depression. Insecurities can be viewed as weaknesses. Though, most of the time, they’re not our faults. Insecurities can be born from betrayal or manipulation, even small comments repeated over time. Insecurities make people lash out, betrayal can make it hard to trust someone again. Insecurities hold us back and keep us from being who we truly are.

Rage. Fury. Passion. Jealousy. Anger can be quiet and loud. It can bubble up inside overtime, simmering until ignited, then it explodes. It can also be quick, harsh and fleeting. Suppressing it and keeping it bottled inside is never a good idea. Bottled rage grows resentment, agitation and other emotions that only make you feel worse. Sometimes, anger or rage is justified. Anger at someone who hurt you or frustration that comes with failure are healthy, as long as you don’t use it to hurt others. Anger does not justify harm. Rage makes us human, without it the good feelings mean nothing.

Loss. Sorrow. Suffering. Regret. Sadness is like water. Tears often accompany sadness, especially when it’s in the form of loss. Some days, sadness is like a cup of water, not nearly enough to drown but enough to feel its weight. Other days, its rolling waves of grief, threatening to drag you under into the depths of the ocean. Water can be peaceful. Floating and feeling your emotions can be what you need after a long day. Loss is a part of life, nothing is meant to last forever. Sorrow is a part of life. So is suffering and regret. Without it we cannot learn from mistakes. Without it we cannot appreciate the good days or someone’s impact on us.

Life is a mix of all these emotions and more, and life wouldn’t be complete without every single one of them.