Emotions Are Contagagious

[TheMeekShall]

I would have never have guessed this was possible before it happened to me. Until last week, I thought I had done a good job of handling my emotions. I had to deal with a very hateful person who had recently gotten out of prison, and later found out he was a neoNazi. He'd been nasty to me before, and we were very much in agreement that we needed to stay away from each other, but one day, at a distance of 20 feet our gazes met. His look was so hateful, without a thought, or any control I said, "Let's go outside and have it out."

 

That was so out of character for me, it was inconcievable. Then something else inconcievable happened. He said, "Let's go outside and talk to someone". Instead, we went outside and stayed away from each other. I then avoided any possiblity of running into him for 3 days, then he took off permently.

 

 

For days, I was in shock that he could transmit uncontrollable hate with a gaze. I'd heard stories that Hitler could do this, but never believed it.

 

As time went on, I realized he had done me a great favor. He taught me The Golden Rule in a way that was unmistakable. I was doing to him what he'd been doing to me. I don't want people to hate or fear me the way I did him, and I've resolved to letting go of hate in my life.

Edited May 25, 2005 by TheMeekShall

[Cynthia]

Powerful story Meek. Thanks for sharing it.

 

It is always humbling to see an exagerated reflection of something we don't like/value about ourselves. It generally makes me realize how alike we all are. Then I have to put down my superior thing... sigh.

[des]

Yes, thanks for sharing.

 

Although I have never felt that "*everyone* is capable of great evil (say genocide), there is always the danger of getting swept up in the contagion of evil. That explains, in some cases, why great evil was allowed to happen. Say, why the masses of German people, mostly good honest hardworking folks allowed Hitler, even welcomed him. Even though most people would not *be* a Hitler.

 

Your story shows how we are all capable of feeling this contagion.

 

--des

[fatherman]

Hey guys! Meek, your story really struck me.

 

Emotion is energy that we create. Emotion strongly felt or expressed has the power to effect the world around us, especially other people. High frequency emotions like love, compassion, and joy can raise the energy in a room to the point that other folks become influenced by it. Strongly felt low frequency states can have the opposite effect on folks who's own level of positive energy is not strong enough to resist it's sway. Jesus was known to have caused miraculous events in the world around him by his mere presence, just as surely Hitler's presence must have caused destructive events.

 

Test it out. Watch what happens the next to bummer-man or super-joy girl walks in the room!

[TheMeekShall]

There's more:

 

Yesterday when I talked to a very spiritual, positive friend she said I'd be amazed by what happens later. I'd heard too many stories of miracles from friends who had very positive, loving attitudes to be sure I could explain by ordinary means (I have a BA in Math, and their "luck" is hard too explain away).

 

"Later" seems to be happening now . There's a very sweet woman in my life. A day ago, I had doubts about her. A friend blew a situation with her out of proportion, and I was wary. I didn't approach this new waoman, she was quite assertive. The frequency of good relationships in my life has been rare, and now this wonderful woman approaches me! Of course, it's too early to say anything for sure, but this sure blew me away! She has one area in her life that she's upset with, and it's also the one where she's the least forgiving. So I guess God wants me to support her in forgiving these people so she'll get back what she wants.

 

I've also made more progress in the last day that I've been putting off for 4 months than any previous day. I doubt this is coincidence. Love may be more powerful than I ever dreamed.

[Cynthia]

Faith-affirming stuff Meek.

 

I think this ties in with the other threads and the discussion of is evil the absence of good. When you purposefully and consciously chose love, good increased. I would hazard a guess that had you chosen spite, returned hate/dislike/etc, things would be going differently. I wish the CSers were right and that choosing love would always "protect" you from evil/bad/trouble... not my experience though.

[des]

Me neither, Cynthia, but it doesn't mean it isn't a powerful force.

 

--des

[TheMeekShall]

I'm always glad to see my threads are thought provoking.

 

Of course, I share my thoughts with friends locally, but I'm so glad the net allows me to discuss things over a large area.

 

Now its time "to boldly go where no man has gone before." Lots of women, have done this but very few men.

 

I saw my friend this morning, and she acted like she hardly knew me. I thought we'd shared something beautiful yesterday. I guess this is how women feel when a guy doesn't call back after sex. I talked to a mutual friend whose known her for years, and she told me that she was probably upset that I wouldn't go see a horror movie last night. Paying $6 to get scared has never made sense to me. What few men are willing to do is honestly discuss the hurt. I've loved plenty of women as friends, even if we've never hugged, it looks like I'll end up loving this woman, even with her on again/off again moods.

[TheMeekShall]

Two more miracles -

 

A woman who many people thought was an unholy bitch has changed her ways. I started wondering if she was really as mean as she appeared when I realized by working for a nonprofit she was earning much less money than she could have otherwise. After seeing this apparent altruism, I started praying for her and visualizing her as being the loving person she was afraid to be, but most of the credit goes to her boss, somehow she convinced or coerced her into being nice, but it seems the change is permenent.

 

A friend appears to be reversing terminal anemia. She's gone to my church for 4 years, is a kind, caring person to everyone but herself. Over that time I've sensed that she is cutting herself off from the energy of the universe. By the time she got her diagnosis, it seemed that she had cut herself off from the universe, almost as if there was a layer of varnish on her skin. Intutively, I could feel that nutrients were not going through her normally. She later told me the doctor had told her exactly that.

 

What the doctor never tested for was self love and a sense of safety in the world. There was a zone of deadness around her that looked like her mind was not letting any kind of nurturence in her body. I talked to mutual friends and they had the same sence, so we all decided that praying for her and sending her love could reverse the illness. I guess I didn't fully believe it, because it's shocking to see 2 months after her diagnosis, she's much healthier than I've ever seen her.

[Cynthia]

Very cool. Have you ever read Agnes Sanford? She may have some interesting ideas for you. Old stuff, but it's available on Amazon.

[TheMeekShall]

 

What happened yesterday astounded me.

 

 

NBC called. 3 days earlier a friend approached me about doing a proposal to the show "3 wishes", where a humanitarian is honored by giving a something he/she wants for the good of the town. My friend told me it needed to be in by Sunday evening, so even though I'm at best a fifth string grant writer, the job fell to me. Today I talked to all the town's big shots, and they're jumping on this.

 

Love Works!

[TheMeekShall]

The third times the charm. NBC is very interested in Humboldt County. The first 2 candidates turned the nomination down, the first probably out of political considerations, the second out of fear of police harassment. (They go out of their way to harass the poor or anyone who helps them, if you live in the burbs, you might not believe the stuff they do here.)

 

NBC is looking for controversy, and with the environmentalists, stoners, rednecks slumlords etc. here, they absolutely wanted us.

[Cynthia]

Keep us updated! What did you propose for your town?

[TheMeekShall]

I posted the same thing on an intellectual, very liberal political site and I got a very different responce.

 

Well, Peace, that's quite a story. Some time, though, in some future life, when you're backed against the wall, the fighting instinct might actually be the best one. Emotions can lead you astray, and they can lead to the gut absolute right response.

 

She was right. I've spent some time around wolves in sheeps clothing, and being forgiving and recovering from depression has been like having a target painted on my chest. Don't become a Ned Flanders. Don't give away the farm,

know when to pick up a picket sign or an injunction.

[TheMeekShall]

btw, Cynthia it's a mobile food kitchen.

 

A friend of mine knows the County representative who is dealing with the grievance ( some others are going the lawsuit rout, and rightly so). I ran into the county rep and she seemed very interested. I meet with her in 2 hours. Legally, I think we almost have a sure thing, and from her repution the county's rep will help us, and my repution as a decent, forgiving person probably will help.

[TheMeekShall]

The county is onto the scam. I thought people would think I was nuts, apparently there have been complaints before.