There was a time on the open road when seatbelts were seen as unnecessary accoutrements. In time, drivers and passengers alike came to realize that without a lifesaving belt across their chest and waist, road trips would be totally unsustainable. Even the wildest person appreciates the utility of a safety belt. It’s an invaluable restraint, keeping our bodies at bay. Which is curious since we’re raised to shamelessly flaunt societal restraints. Not anymore.
Where did we go wrong? Where did we lose the road, picking unmanicured yards over smooth-as-silk pavement? Repression has its place, people – especially in the workplace. Keeping your thoughts and emotions inside, never sharing how you truly feel, is a mentality borrowed from the seat belt. It’s safer that way, if only a little less fun.
Repression cannot and should not go on indefinitely. There’s a time to let loose and share exactly what you think. But how articulate you are in rage and annoyance is directly related to how repressed you’ve been. It takes skill and patience building up animosity over the slightest of slights.
You don’t bake a cake in a couple minutes, eating a rather raw lopsided inedible indelible pastry. You leave it in the oven for a bit, after kneading for a long, long while. You too must let your emotions bake for years. When you’re cooking Bolognese meat sauce, you don’t flash fry and serve quickly. You simmer and simmer for hours and hours, knowing that for however long you leave it bubbling on the stovetop, the dish will be even better tomorrow. You should add milk and wine to your feelings - the order isn’t as important as the act itself. Let yourself steep like a tea bag, marinate like a chicken thigh, stew like a beef cube. Food always tastes better this way. No matter how long it takes, it’s worth it.
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