The meaning of emotions
Without emotions, our life is not our own, and we feel like outsiders, as if we are just going through the motions. Emotions give meaning to our words and help us be understood. They help us remember and understand ourselves.
Through negative emotions, we are able to face other emotions as well, and find courage and comfort. A person with a serious illness, or their loved ones, cannot be heard or understood through anything but their own, personal emotions.
Much like the beginning of life, the end of life includes nurture, care, and love. It’s natural for a person with an illness to be concerned about their family and friends, and for family and friends to feel sorrow on the person’s behalf.
Expressing negative emotions
It’s good to be able to express negative emotions in ways that those close to us or those involved in our care can accept. Negative emotions help both us and those taking care of us see that something is wrong and that we need help. This way, we don’t have to cope with our emotions alone. Sharing our emotions and being understood makes the burden of negative experiences easier to bear.