Emotional Investment

I believe that most everyone would agree that if a person is passionate about something, they will invest their time, emotion, and effort into it. Whether it be their career, a hobby, or their family, that one thing will be what keeps them going. It will be on their mind, in their heart, and embedded into the deep levels of their subconscious. It will be all they think about, almost to the point of obsession - but not quite. 

A deep emotional investment comes about because of a person's passion. For example, a mother's love for her children is unlike any other. She invests herself one hundred percent in the care, protection, and rearing of her children. They are her life. She may have hobbies, and might have to go to work at times to help support her family, but what she would rather do is stay at home with her children. Every choice is made with careful consideration of her family before herself. In her mind, her husband and children are her life. This mother is the ultimate example of love. She has emotionally invested herself in a wonderful thing, and it has brought about many rewards through cherished family memories.

While there are many things that we can invest ourselves in emotionally that will benefit us, there are plenty that can quickly consume us, causing us to make decisions that we otherwise would not. 

In my life I am emotionally invested in my family, my marriage, my education, and the gospel. I love my parents and all of my siblings with all of my heart. They are some of my very best friends, and the relationship I have with all of them is something that I cherish. 

Derek is my best friend in the whole world. He makes me smile even when I don't want to, so I get mad at him for making me smile when I want to be mad. He encourages me to be better, and helps me become a better person, wife, and friend. If there is one thing in my life that I will always be grateful for, it is my husband. 

The gospel is what has brought me so much comfort in times of sorrow. When my grandmother died, I could find peace through my knowledge that I will see her again someday, and that death is not the end. The gospel has brought more joy into my life than I could have ever imagined, and I am always learning and growing through its teachings. 

These three things are emotional investments that I believe are ones that will have a wonderful return. 

I have invested my emotions in other things previously in my life. They were not wise choices, and while they didn't outwardly appear to be harmful or destructive, if I would have paid attention to how I was doing emotionally, mentally, and spiritually, I would have seen how detrimental my investment was. It consumed my thoughts and my actions, making it difficult for me to see how anything else could ever be as important as this investment was. When I finally was able to see things for how they really were, I came out of it with my emotions in a poor state. Emotions are tricky... they are deeply personal, and yet the majority of us are always willing to take risks with them. And when they get damaged, it is a long process before they are back in shape again.

So my wish is that everyone would be careful with how deeply they let themselves become passionate about, or emotionally invested in, certain things. Some are worth our time and effort, while others, simply, are not. Pay attention to how you are doing mentally, spiritually, and emotionally. Emotions aren't just the annoying things that make you cry. They are what bring meaning and importance to life.