احساسات

Lesson 5 – Feelings

I experienced a roller coaster of emotions when my son was born (many different emotions one after another). During my wife’s pregnancy, I was ridiculously excited about the prospect of becoming a dad.

On the big day, I’d imagined that everything would go smoothly and we’d be blissfully happy – but there were complications during the delivery and my wife had to have emergency surgery while I waited in the reception area, worried sick (very worried).

As time went by, I got increasingly anxious because the doctors weren’t telling me anything. After two hours I was seething with anger (ready to explode with anger), and I and shouted at one of the nurses.

Then the security guards came and escorted me out of the hospital.

My wife was visibly disappointed (it was obvious that she was disappointed) that I wasn’t by her side when she woke up from surgery. She didn’t say anything – she’s not really one to show her feelings; she prefers to bottle up her emotions (keep her emotions hidden inside her) – but I knew I had let her down and I was terribly sorry that I had lost my temper (lost control and shown anger).

The months that followed were tough. My wife became deeply depressed, and I too was an emotional wreck (a person who is very sad, confused, and upset) as I tried to juggle the demands of work and family life. But now things are starting to turn around – I’ve been pleasantly surprised at the all help we’ve gotten from our friends and neighbors.

I’m just immensely grateful that my wife and son are healthy, and sometimes I’m overwhelmed with emotion as I reflect on how lucky we are (when emotion is so strong that it’s difficult to think or speak).