I’m not a robot. I experience a spectrum of emotions all in one day, heck, sometimes in one hour. Society may see this as weak, but I think it is a hidden courage. Some may say that I feel too much, that I am too willing to love, too sensitive and too dramatic. When I feel things, it is really hard for me to hide that. When I am happy, I want to jump and dance through meadows of sunshine. When I am full of sorrow, I want to bawl my eyes out and listen to melancholy music. Why is this wrong? Why are people afraid of emotions? Because they are afraid to show their own and to be judged for it.

Emotions are what connect us as humans, yet we don’t tell our friends and family enough about how much we love them because that is seen as cheesy. It is not wrong to love! We should embrace it as a strength and not as a weakness that holds us back. This will sound cheesy, but quite frankly, I don’t care. We have a limited time on this planet, a limited time to let your loyal friend know how much you appreciate her and a limited time to tell your grandfather that he is your hero.

You may think that it is considered “cool” to not care, but what does that really get you? A life without letting people know you love them sounds a lot worse than being an emotionless robot. You are a human, so don’t be afraid to show it. I know rejection and pain might await you if you tell someone special how special they are to you, but sometimes we need to put ourselves out there to get any sort of answer. You will never know what will happen if you close yourself off from the world.

I live with a fairly open heart, which means that it is more open to wounds as well. However, I think it is far better to experience every emotion and know that I can still be loved and happy. We all have scars either on or under the surface, but you can either keep nursing that wound forever, or you can live freely and show people that you are a survivor. The greatest lessons I have learned in life are the ones I found within my own heart. Knowing why you feel the way you do is a skill that goes unappreciated too often. Take time everyday to examine your emotions, not to critique them, but to learn what makes your heart so unique. There can be a lesson from every source of pain and joy. You just have to realize that emotions don’t make you a wimp, they make you in tune with yourself. It takes strength to share tears, and it takes courage to show you care.