Smart People Get Caught Up in Emotions Too

I have been reading some articles on the General Petraeus and Paula Broadwell and the embarrassment  and humiliation they are currently dealing with. While this is not an uncommon relationship it is more pronounced because of his position in the CIA and as a high ranking general. This is one of many we have read about over the course of time. Eventually they will be out of the news and hopefully heal some wounds that were created and move on.

What I want to talk about here is the perception by some that highly educated people are perceived as not allowing their emotions get the best of them. I don't care where you went to school, how many degress you earned or what position you hold in our society, we are all humans.  Emotions are in our DNA, from the very high levels of Bliss, Happiness, Love to the very low of Hopelessness and Despair. Sometimes events happen, opportunities are ripe to appear and people are caught at just the right moment to act on an emotion that maybe they typically could not dwell in but it happens. Call it vulnerability possibly but it happens more than most people know. When you are caught up in it, you tend to forget everything else around you including people who could get hurt. I believe there is deeper meaning behind what actually is happening that hopefully can be reflected on through personal work or reaching out for help from outside parties such as a coach or therapist.  Something has been going on inside the person(s) for awhile and an opportunity shows up that gets acted on. Dealing with the repercussions will define personal character and future happiness.  Lessons will be learned, good and bad and life goes on. Many times things turn out as they should on our many paths and chapters in our lives.

God has a plan for all of us and many times it deviates off a normal path. It is how we handle ourselves going forward that counts the most. Taking responsibility, acknowledging weakness, failure, hard lessons but also knowing we are learning about ourselves in the process is what is most important.