“Nothing strengthens the judgment and quickens the conscience like individual responsibility.”
Elizabeth Cady Stanton

I hurt. You hurt. We all hurt. It’s a given. At one time or another, we all feel the anguish of some measure of emotional pain. As humans, we are too often emotionally driven, at the mercy of our ever-changing feelings, and far too dependent upon circumstances around us.

Clearly, some individuals “emote” more than others. But still, it is safe to say that every man, woman, and child experiences the full gamut of emotional responses and will continue to do so their entire lives. It is our reaction to these powerful feelings that counts. Simply stated, are we more reactive or proactive? Do we take some measure of responsibility for how we feel or not?

Most times, we respond to life’s stresses, the ups and downs of daily living (and any accompanying icky feelings), with…