Emotional Investment into Sentimental Ideas?

How do you recognize the difference between a conscious emotional investment from a sentimental emotion around an idea? Relationships, for instance: A long time friend who is in your life a lot doesn?t seem congruent with your current philosophies or lifestyle. The sentimental attachment to that long standing friendships can over ride the fact that you no longer would befriend that person if you met them for the first time recently. You?re different people now. But, if someone asks, ?Are you friends??, you reply ?Yes!? without hesitation. The idea of the friendship no longer reflects the reality of the relationship.

In a time of self discovery and working towards certain paradigm shifts,(thank you Jennifer Hough) I find myself reevaluating many aspects of my life. How many of the things that I care about are based on a sentimental attachment? Now, this isn?t just about relationships but can also include those biggies like: religion, political platforms, professions, educational paths, sexuality, or various ?traditions?. Thought I?d play with fire a bit and throw in those subjects that stir shit up. Why not? That?s what this is right? What if I told you that I no longer want to celebrate Christmas? I don?t truly believe the virgin birth story. I also don?t care too much for Santa Claus and the whole consumer mentality around the season. Aren?t those the two main reasons to celebrate ?Christmas?? What if I dropped them (Santa once the kids are a bit older) and chose to identify the season around celebrating family, friends, the beginning of the new year, the days getting longer again and in general enjoy a lot of great food? Why keep up the facade of ?Christmas? if it?s no longer congruent with what I hold dear to me now? I think the retraining of those around me would be very easy for the most part. There?s always a few that wouldn?t understand and would probably suggest I maintain the status quo around the holiday. So, here the question remains. Shouldn?t my emotional investment into anything I do be sincere?

When the idea of a great relationship with a lifelong friend becomes more important than the relationship itself, then it?s time to make some changes. With me, it?s been about being aware that I?m acting on sentiment or ideas given to me probably at a very young age. Maybe someone told me it was cool to have a friend around for life. My Ego has held onto that notion like a trophy and is making it tough for me to see that the relationship isn?t truly a friendship anymore. Lately, I seem to be able to tell my Ego to shut up and I can choose for myself. I?m becoming very comfortable with letting things that are no longer working go. It?s not personal. Nothing is. Some things run it?s course. (like relationships) Some ideas are let go with the understanding that it was never my idea in the first place. Undoing the hard-wiring that was put in place in childhood may not be insurmountable after all.

Source: http://teresalynn.ca/emotional-investment-into-sentimenta-ideas/

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