The Department of Emotional Disposal

Look! Squirrel! #11

Commentary

When we’re uncomfortable, the mind immediately assumes the goal is to eliminate the feeling. But emotions often arrive carrying information. Frustration may not be a problem to solve as much as a message that hasn’t been listened to yet.

The government office turns emotional avoidance into something absurdly institutionalized. Readers recognize how often they try to manage feelings before understanding them.

Question: What feeling am I trying to get rid of before I’ve understood what it’s trying to tell me?