Your "Emotional Rescue."
Webster's defines emotions as “a conscious mental reaction (such as anger or fear) subjectively experienced as strong feeling usually directed toward a specific object and typically accompanied by physiological and behavioral changes in the body.” Aside from the “conscious” part I think Webster's has it right. But therein lies the problem, in my experience far too many Americans aren't conscious of their strongest emotions until the triggering event subsides. This truth should be underscored by our own experiences.
Consider “Love,” in common parlance many wrongly believe that love is an emotion yet, it is anything but. I’ve written about this in the past but never really considered how dangerous emotions can be. Emotions, like desire and attraction, are unbidden. We don't choose them but their impact on our choices are, far too often, life changing.
When we have young children in our lives the negative impact of uncontrollable emotions is quite obvious to most of us. Unfortunately, it's not a message many adults take to heart. Whether it's infidelity, irresponsible spending or intentionally harmful words the choices we make due to feelings are often the worst we can make. That's not to say it's the outcome of every emotional choice but if its not then it's not strictly by chance. Intelligent, thoughtful choices don't always work out but they always have better odds.
As humans, we can never choose to stop experiencing emotions, they are a part of our primal past. So too desire. If, however, we want to fully experience life we must learn to master them. Feel like punching someone in the mouth - don't. Desire another or their material wealth, hit the brakes and use your mind to manage your desires.
We cannot escape our biology but we can manage and channel its urgings into positive and uplifting outcomes. If you're in a committed relationship, understand you might meet someone who “gives you butterflies,” don't let those feelings and desires destroy what you have for a fantasy that could never be.
Emotions should remind us that we are all fragile beings but we should never allow them to control our choices. Instead, choose love. Love is and will always be a verb. Love requires that we choose to do whatever we can to nurture those closest to us, to forgive even when we feel anger, to lift up even when we feel like tearing down. Words and actions based on emotions invariably have unintended consequences. Words and deeds based on understanding that love is a verb do as well, but far and away they bear fruit that sustains our very souls.