"Your past is your story up to now. The future is the story yet to come. The present is where you live with that experience, your hopes and your dreams."

Opening Remarks: Politics as Unusual

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Thanks for reading. – Tom

Featured Article: I’ve Got a Feeling

Everyone has feelings. We all go through the gamut of emotions, often many different ones in a single day. You can be happy, sad, mad, glad, angry, outraged, cynical or romantic – to name but a few.

These feelings often define who we think we are. But let’s explore that more closely. Are you always happy? Forever sad? Continually cynical? It’s unlikely. The fact that we are human and have emotions is one thing; how we act and react to life situations varies depending on our maturity and our ability to “roll with the punches”.

It might surprise you to realize you are not your feelings. Feelings do influence us, but how you feel about something doesn’t have to determine your outlook. Humans have a great capacity for reflection. When we use it to help us process our emotions, and our experiences, we have the opportunity for growth.

I believe we can use our feelings to help us tap into our life stories. When you ponder an experience from life the memory may arouse certain emotions. You should explore this when you are reminiscing and writing. How does the recollection of experiences make you feel? What are the primary emotions? How do you feel about both the experience and the memory of the experience?

The emotions that rise to the surface when I recall sitting with my mother in her dying days is still powerful ten years later. I was both sad and grateful to be present with her and to have known her unconditional love.

Contrast that life experience with being at an inspired, freewheeling Grateful Dead concert. That was joyful and transcendent. It was entirely different than when my mom died, but it still elicited strong feelings.

I find it helpful to journal about my life on a regular basis. If you keep a journal then you can go back to read previous entries and recall your feelings from that time in your life.

A lot is happening in our world that is generating strong emotional responses. The political conventions in the United States as the Republicans and the Democrats select their Presidential candidates for the election in November has created a plethora of responses ranging from enthusiasm, anger, fear, cynicism and hope.

The horrible violence of this summer also has people “feeling” upset. Despite what goes on in our world and our lives, it is helpful to remember that we are not our feelings. It takes some spiritual discipline to hold the tension of the moment, be it good or bad. Trust that you are stronger than you think. You've probably heard it before, but it is good to remember that, for better or worse, this too will pass.

And when it does, then look back and see how you grew through it all.

You can read other life story articles here.

Featured Resource: Getting Started Special

Closing Information

Any comments, ideas or feedback is greatly appreciated. Just reply to this ‘zine and tell me what you think!

Until next time, – keep your story alive!

Tom Gilbert