The Necessity of Emotions

Yesterday a friend told me about an ex of hers that believes emotions are unnecessary to the "human" life.  This, of course, has caused much analytical thought in my mind.  I know in my soul emotions are absolutely necessary (at least from a personal and societal point of view).  I wanted to put it into words, though.  Please humor me and imagine that every single person on earth shared no emotions.  That is the point. It is not that he thought there should be no emotions, but he thought it would just be best to not share our emotions with each other at all.  Society would break completely down.  There would be no empathy or sympathy, therefore no volunteers or charities or help for the helpless.  This would shutdown all mental health agencies, whether or not it's pro bono.  Don't misunderstand me.  Even as a person in the mental health profession, I am not trying to cry out for all people to open up and write down and share their "feelings".  I am only discussing those emotions and situations that make us different from all other species.  We help each other and work together. We do not do these things for our own gain (although we do) but because we understand and want to treat others the way we would want to be treated. Yes, the golden rule is still in play.  Emotions are also our soul basis of trust in each other. Even the coldest introvert should agree if you have not even one person's trust, you have nothing.  Can emotions be draining? Yes! Do they seem like a big fucking joke at times? Absolutely! We still need them and need to express them in some form (hopefully in a healthy way).  Love, anger, fear, happiness, and all other emotions will always be necessary if we want to be a contributing member of society. Human connection is sometimes all that keeps us alive. We feed each other, listen to each other, put roofs over unfortunate heads, and always strive to make the world better through improving and building up each other.  Maybe her ex or one of you can survive with no help from anyone or any emotional connection with any other person. My hat's off to you. I could never survive that way.

My Stairway to Heaven and Highway to Hell in a Small Town

     The road to hell is not paved, despite that old bit of wisdom.  I feel it sneaking up at times when I'm traveling an old dirt road.  Here the gravel in mud captures local sins and blood. Some are buried deep and some are fanning flames.  In a correct situation, wrong can be right.  Someone plots to take your darkness.  This will help you forget the pain.  You find these friends that "know" you need a release.  Friend lead to a belief that the answers can be found. I check into my trip to heaven with every step towards hell.  When everyone knows my weakness, they learn to fear my strength.  Does danger have a place on the stairway? Can kindness fool this highway into pushing pain away from my hope and Heaven's stairway?
I realize to some this post is strange. Maybe some won't understand. Basically, I have come to believe you must feel the evil and know it's temptation in order to recognize the light again.  Sometimes we lose the light. The only way to look for light is to travel through the darkness. I need to know others have darkness. I like to find each person's darkness in order to find a truth that helps me to see someone as completely human as I.  That knowledge helps me see each ray of light you also exhibit. I see strength that overcomes any weakness. These are the people that give me hope for all of us in this confusing world. Yet, as all humans seem to require experience to gain knowledge, I am sure each one of us continuing down so many different and difficult paths will continue to cruise this highway to hell. We must experience a justification and then a conviction of our sins in order to arrive on our stairway to Heaven. We can't believe in finding Heaven in our personal hell. Sometimes I scream. Nothing is simple. Questions haunt us. Love saves us. Answers will arrive.