Emotions

It has sometimes been noted to me that I do not display emotions easily. That there is no particular struggle to show them, but that they are deliberately concealed and protected. This is both accurate and not.

Emotions are an expression of opinion or feeling due to a stimulating event. A woman weeps when her husband leaves for war, and a man angers when his property is damaged. But emotions seem most often to explode when romantic attachments are made and broken. Often by the will of one party and not the other. Those that observe this and measure its effect respond and conjure judgment of the affair based on their own values and experience. They then communicate this to the original parties and it recycles.

Displaying emotions outwardly is not inherently bad. But it can be troublesome. Weaknesses and interests are revealed to often biased observers. 

I learned nearly immediately that survival depended on the ability to mask and so now it difficult to unleash sentiment. Control is like armor. If raised in defense it can make one seem cold and uncaring. Even when within stirs a great up-welling of agitation, passion or zeal. For others however, emotions are a powerful tool of assertion and motivation. It is curious.