Hurt feelings

As adults, it's not something we admit to very often, getting our feelings hurt.

Usually, we get angry, dismissive, proud or apathetic. Growing up, we have enough painful experiences that we find  some other way to handle feelings of hurt or betrayal.  We bury our vulnerability.

I had an experience this past week that allowed me to meditate on how I react to hurt feelings. My knee-jerk response was with pride and anger. Then...

I ran.
I prayed.
I reflected.
I stewed.
I strategized.
I let it go.
It came back.
I visualized.
I prayed.
I ran.
I meditated.

I admitted that really the whole thing had just hurt my feelings.

I thought about having hurt feelings as a child.

I imagined Jesus on a cross. His best friends abandoned him.

Hurt feelings come with being human and being open to love. Love makes us vulnerable. Forgiveness is love's answer to vulnerability.

I forgave.

I choose love.