so yeah. emotions obviously play aq big role in our lives as we go about day to day life. We are happy, sad, joyful, depressed, excited, worried, enthralled, etc. As we look at it, it can seem as if they all existed as some abstract event that happens every minute and hour, yet it is in some ways chemically based. For today I would like to keep thinking of it in a abstract way and work through and create some kind of tangibility yet without the chemical base. In the end it may be clear that chemicals invoke things, however as I stated before, I do not want to get into that section today.

Emotions interest me because for no reason a person can be sad or happy. Other times people are happy or sad based on events, although at times choosing to be happy or sad in light of of an event. I can say for one thing, The presidential innaguration was not my favorite thing to watch and it left me irritated with the people around me that were over loud and obnoxious. However, Obama is the new president and I will pray for him greatly and that the Lord’s will be done. I had to choose throughout the day to be of good cheer and remember my joy comes from God and my salvation. Yet at times, for myself, life can be grand and I am rather mellow. 

To bring up another part of emotions, is what C.S. Lewish calls “Affection.” Affection as Lewis describes, is something not is not talked about in public and is like dirty luandry and only to be in the house, yet it is the basis for Friendship and Eros. In my opinion, Lewis describes emotions quite well and to add to it, I believe that Affection can swell in us more and in the case leading to Eros, consume our minds and lower emotions. To define lower emotions, I would liken them to those that are secondary or more easily swayed. Love is not swayed as easily as sadness or happiness, to give an example. So when I say Affection (and cases involving Eros) consumes our lower emotions, I mean to say that based on how the other person is acting or interacting with us, or how our mind is portraying the images of the relations, can make us happy, excited, sad or depressed. It makes me curious to think though, that as abstract things, one has to wonder where the origin of them truly is. What is the origin of the thing that can consume us?

As I look back at my friends who get into relationships, there usually is an Affection period that grows throughout a friendship. C.S. Lewis describes friendship as part of the four loves but makes a distinction that it is more based on common interest. Which brings up the question of how “opposites attract” which I wont digress into for the sake of time and lack of knowledge on my part. Even then, how does affection grow? Where does it come from? It can be easily stated that all things come from God who is in some ways the purest essence of it. If you ask a child, “what is love?” it has been found that at earlier ages they will use action words to describe parents doing things for one another to show “love,” e.g. they might say’ “love is a hug” or a cup of coffee. As the child matures he will begin to use more abstract words to describe inter-relational dynamics.  The Bible says this about it in 1 John 4:8, “Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.” and 1st Corintheans 13:4-8 “4Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 8Love never fails…”  To me, all of this is a tall order, especially for an abstract thing we are commanded to do. 

Love, as something we are commanded to do, in light of a relationship is a tall order and not just something that is flighty or easily swayed. So where is affection in this? Affection has its place in our lives as we grow and develop our relationships into Eros fashion. Where is the source? It comes from God as not only as a feeling but a command as well.  Then why are relationships so awkward and we have the fear of rejection in our lives in regards to relationships and affection?? That my friends is a discussion for another day.