The Importance of Understanding and Sharing Emotions: Insights from Famous Author Robert Louis Stevenson

The Importance of Understanding and Sharing Emotions: Insights from Famous Author Robert Louis Stevenson

You can forgive people who do not follow you through a philosophical disquisition; but to find your wife laughing when you had tears in your eyes, or staring when you were in a fit of laughter, would go some way towards a dissolution of the marriage.

Robert Louis Stevenson


The Importance of Understanding and Sharing Emotions: Insights from Famous Author Robert Louis StevensonIn his writings, famous author Robert Louis Stevenson emphasizes the significance of understanding and sharing emotions, particularly within marriages. He suggests that when two people share their lives, they should be able to comprehend and empathize with each other’s feelings, just like having a master key to one’s secret clubhouse. This connection through shared emotions builds trust and strengthens relationships, making it important for everyone, regardless of age or relationship status.



  

Meaning of Quote – You can forgive people who do not follow you through a philosophical disquisition; but to find your wife laughing when you had tears in your eyes, or staring when you were in a fit of laughter, would go some way towards a dissolution of the marriage.

Imagine this: You’re at your best friend’s birthday party, and you’ve just told the funniest joke. Everyone is laughing except for your best friend, who’s just standing there looking confused. Now, switch up the situation. You’ve scraped your knee badly and it really, really hurts. Tears are welling up in your eyes, but there’s your best friend, giggling because they thought you were doing a silly dance instead. Feels kind of strange, right? Well, this is sort of what famous author Robert Louis Stevenson is talking about, but instead of best friends, he’s thinking about husbands and wives.

Robert Louis Stevenson was a smart guy and a great writer. Chances are, you might have heard of one of his books, like “Treasure Island” or “Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde”. He knew a lot about life and the adventures that wait for people around every corner. He also knew that life’s journey is chock-full of both laughs and tears. His quote is a clever way of saying that sharing those laughs and tears with someone—understanding each other when those moments happen—is super important, especially for people who are married.

Okay, so not everyone gets married, and you might think, “What does this have to do with me?” Well, Stevenson’s words aren’t just about marriage; they’re really about connection and understanding between people, which is something that matters to everyone, whether you’re in the fourth grade or a grown-up in the world.

Imagine your feelings are like a super-secret clubhouse. Only those closest to you—your friends, family, maybe one day a partner—get a special key to come in and hang out. If someone comes into your clubhouse and doesn’t understand why you’ve decorated it with streamers one day and sad, blue paintings the next, it feels odd, right? It can feel lonely too.

Stevenson is hinting at the idea that when you share your life with someone, like in a marriage, it’s kind of like giving them a master key to your clubhouse. And when they can’t understand why you’re decorating your place with streamers (laughing) or painting it blue (crying), it can make you feel like they shouldn’t have that key anymore.

Feeling connected with someone means you’re both on the same page. If you’re jazzed about acing a test at school and your friend is too, you’re both sharing a high-five moment. But, if you’re bummed about losing your favorite toy and your friend laughs it off, it’s like a “record-scratch” moment in a movie—everything feels out of whack.

Sharing feelings and getting why someone feels a certain way is sort of like the glue that holds relationships together. It’s not always about agreeing on everything; sometimes, it’s just about understanding why someone is super excited or really sad.

  

So, why does Stevenson say that not sharing feelings can be so tough for a marriage? When two people decide to share their lives, they’re promising to be part of each other’s ups and downs. They’re saying, “Hey, I’ve got your back when you want to laugh until your stomach hurts, and I’ve also got a bunch of tissues ready for when it’s time to cry.”

But being in sync with feelings doesn’t just happen magically. Just like any friendship, it takes work. Think about those secret handshakes you’ve got with your pals or those inside jokes that just you and your BFF understand. You didn’t come up with them overnight; you built them up over time, with a bunch of shared experiences.

In a marriage, this connection through feelings is even more special because it ties into trust. If you can laugh and cry with someone, and they get why you’re doing it, you trust them more. Trust is one of the biggest building blocks in any relationship. Without it, things can get a little wobbly, kind of like a tower of blocks with one missing at the bottom.

But hey, Stevenson’s quote isn’t saying that if someone doesn’t get why you’re laughing or crying, you should lock them out of your clubhouse forever. People are different and sometimes we need to help others understand why we feel the way we do.

Openness is key. Instead of getting upset because your friend didn’t laugh at your joke, explain why you found it funny. And if you’re sad, let them know why, so they can offer the right kind of support, instead of just staring at you like you’re from another planet.

Understanding each other is a two-way street. Just as much as you want your friends to get you, they want you to get them. It’s about balance, giving and taking turns to listen, share, support, and even just hang out in silence if that’s what’s needed.

To sum it up, Stevenson’s quote brings out the idea that understanding and sharing emotions with people close to you is super important. It’s like a special dance, where sometimes you lead, sometimes you follow, but you’re both always moving to the same beat. Whether in a friendship or a marriage, that dance keeps you close and your clubhouse the place to be. So go ahead, hand out those keys to your secret place of feelings, and find people who are willing to bring both streamers and tissues to your clubhouse, no matter the occasion.

  

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Freely Shareable Quote Image You can forgive people who do not follow you through a philosophical disquisition; but to find your wife laughing when you had tears in your eyes, or staring when you were in a fit of laughter, would go some way towards a dissolution of the marriage.