Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Emotions In Motion

My parents were in town over the last week, one of their 3-4 yearly visits. The economy isn't slowing them down. In fact, they're taking full advantage of all the retail discounts that recessions tend to offer. 

I had an interesting conversation with my mom. She's a little annoyed with my sister which, if you know our family history, is nothing new. My sister's father in- law was recently diagnosed with some form of cancer, and pretty much given no more than a year to live. It's not a good situation. My mom said that the last time she talked to my sister (Sue) about it, Sue was sobbing. My mom found this an interesting reaction, since Sue never cried about her own mother's cancer. At least to my mom, she never seemed all that upset- more businesslike than anything else. I told my mom that maybe Sue's reaction comes from the fact that her father in- law will die from cancer. That's a certainty. My mom's was caught early enough to be treated and defeated. Maybe my sister would've been more emotional had she been faced with the reality that my mom would die.

It's funny what triggers emotions. My dad had quadruple bypass surgery around the same time my dog was having an operation to repair a torn ligament. I was much more worried about my dog than my dad. Maybe it's because bypass surgery has become as routine as brushing your teeth. I can't really explain it. My dad could've died on the operating table, but that really never occurred to me. I was much more emotional when Maverick's vet called to say the surgery went well.

I guess Sue and I are just more comfortable showing emotion from a distance. We'll cover it up for those we're closest to, yet cry like babies at "Marley and Me". Is it weird to be more emotional over things we can control than over things we can't? Or- scarier thought- is it normal?

No comments: