Extra-Large Emotions

Sometimes I scare myself over how much I am able to feel within a day. I would wonder if these mood swings are symptoms of something bigger, or if it’s simply parenthood flipping pages of a book I have never read before - that the emotions I am going to deal with for the rest of my life now since having children only come in the next size after Extra Large, and sometimes a little more.

But I am glad that the happy picture-perfect moments don’t last. I am glad they come in short bursts before other emotions come barging in, and then again. I am grateful for the (many) instances parenthood offers me the opportunity to also feel sad or angry, because that is when I am also offered the opportunity to take a step back before stepping outside and looking at the bigger picture. That is when I ask help from Allah, that is when I feel the relief of crying out loud, that is when I feel the comfort of a loved one telling me it’s okay, that is when I embrace the beauty of being human and having imperfections.

Sometimes we’re so busy attempting to paint picture-perfect moments where we confine ourselves in, that we forget to step outside and look at the bigger picture. And that is when those very opportunities to step outside come in handy, even if they come in the form of unpleasant emotions. Because man, the view outside sure is beautiful.