My childhood consisted of people continually telling me how sensitive I was, and how not everything was meant to be taken to heart, even if they intended it that way. It seemed like I would feel things one hundred times stronger than everyone else and that this was a bad thing, and so I took it as such until a year ago.Â
I feel positive emotions ten times stronger than most, and that itself to me, makes up for it. I can appreciate the menial and my surroundings so much more. I love so much stronger than most. I cherish moments with a tightly packaged bow, never to be released, even if they’re unwrapped from my life. Yes, it is unfortunately true that having a sensitive heart can make bad situations ten times worse. The heart palpitations, the anchor feeling in your chest that lingers in the wake, and the never-ending thoughts buzzing like a bee being a few of them. But what helps me sift through all of the mess is giving myself permission to feel—to let the emotions rise and pass, instead of fighting them.
It may not be even close to what you wished for yourself, to be less than understood by others, but the only thing to do is to feel everything you need to feel and move forward. Healing truly begins when your commitment to the future and to your growth becomes greater than your attachment to what once was. So the next time someone tries to beat you down for your emotions, remember that no one is you and that you have something truly special—a heart so big that you’re known for it.