Challenged to write about the deep topic of Emotional Expression, my thoughts led to the late Jimmy Valvano, who coached NC State to a shocking NCAA basketball tournament upset over Houston to win the 1983 national championship.
In his famous Never Give Up speech, a cancer-stricken Jimmy V. delivered a now-famous line about a full day.
If you laugh, you think, and you cry, that’s a full day. That’s a heck of a day. You do that seven days a week, you’re going to have something special.
-Jimmy Valvano
Beyond a Full Day
As a I thought about Jimmy’s elements of a full day, I realized that laughing, thinking, and crying go deeper than a full day. For example, what made this speech so memorable? It contained all three of these elements. I just watched the speech again, and let’s just say I’ve already had a full day.
Thinking further, the same holds true for books, movies, shows, sporting events – the ones that make you laugh are great. The ones that make you think are inspirational. The ones that make you cry (both in joy and in sorrow) are moving. And the ones that do all three – unforgettable.
Be Memorable
Want to be unforgettable to your loved ones, friends, and followers? As a writer, I’d like to. My writing mentor, Jerry Jenkins, has said “no tears in the writer, no tears in the reader.” Not sure if it’s original or if he is quoting someone. But I’d love for my writing to make people cry, laugh, and think.
Can we do this in everyday life too? When we clean the bathroom, can we make someone laugh or cry? Laughing would probably be easier than crying. 😁 Although, for some of us men, if we ever cleaned a toilet, it would likely get our wives crying with joy. At the very least, they’d be thinking – Oh boy, what has he done wrong now?
Is it Healthy to Express Emotions?
There are some benefits to emotional expression, such as decreasing our suffering and bringing people together. Of course, there’s the flip side, where losing control of our emotions can make us appear a few fries short of a happy meal, or worse, can lead to harming someone else. As with most things in life, there’s a balance to be had.
Biblical perspective
The Bible teaches that we are made in God’s image. We are spiritual beings, created to reflect God’s characteristics, including emotions. Jesus himself was not one to shield his emotions. Let’s look at a few examples:
Anger – We all know the story of Jesus single-handedly clearing out the merchants who’d corrupted his father’s temple. He also had quite a few rows with the self-righteous religious leaders of his day.
Sorrow, fear – The shortest verse in the Bible: “Jesus Wept,” chronicles his reaction to his friend’s death. Beyond that, did you know that just before Judas betrayed him in the garden, he so dreaded the ordeal he was about to face that he literally sweat drops of blood?
Humor – I often smile at some of Jesus’ parables, such as the persistent widow who kept pestering the corrupt judge until he finally gave in, saying “Even though I don’t fear God or care what people think, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won’t eventually come and attack me!” I bet Jesus had a great sense of humor. I wish the gospels had recorded incidents of his joking around and having fun with his friends.
Contemplation – On numerous occasions, Jesus would go to a solitary place to think and to pray. We don’t often think of solitude as an emotion, and perhaps it is better described as a reaction to emotion. But it’s clear that Jesus modeled meditation as a healthy method of dealing with our emotions.
Have a Full Day
Well, this blog probably didn’t make you laugh as much as most of my posts. But if it made you think, and perhaps gave you license to cry once in a while, then hopefully it was a worthwhile read. I pray you will create lasting memories for those close to you. May they laugh, cry, and think when they remember you.
As for me, I’m not going to suddenly turn into a blubbery puppy dog. But neither will I be ashamed if I am caught shedding the occasional tear over a book or a speech or a movie. It probably means I had a full day.
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