Emotionally charged situations.

Last week in my Abnormal Psychology class, my teacher, who is one of those professors that kind of talks about whatever the fuck he wants, brought up emotionally charged situations and how they’re commonly our most vivid memories. He told us to think about our most emotional moments and memories and analyze why they are so important. The conversation ended there, but I’ve been thinking about it here and there since. 

The moment that immediately came to mind took place at my cousin’s wake in 2007. He passed away suddenly from cardiomyopathy when he was a freshmen in high school. We’d always been best friends, he was like my other half. At the wake I was trying desperately to stay strong for the rest of my family, mainly my aunt/his mother. She was a mess. When I went to hug her for the first time since it’d happened, she started sobbing in my arms, telling me she knew how close we were. Talking about how we always had sleepovers as kids and all of the things we did together. I wanted, so badly, to remain strong for her but in that moment, I lost it. Within seconds I was crying just as hard as she was. The two of us, standing next to my cousin’s body in a room full of people, emotionally connected and overflowing. I honestly don’t think about this moment too often anymore, but it was the first thing that came to mind and I think that’s because of how incredibly genuine and real it was.

The second moment that came to mind was the first time I told someone very important from my past that I loved him. To me, it was one of the most monumental moments of my life and I still remember it like it was yesterday. It was his reaction that meant so much to me. I’ve never felt so much overwhelming love for one person until that moment and I’m not sure that I have since. Being in love does funny things to you. It terrified me and I destroyed everything. I live with the consequences of that every day. So it goes.

Another very important and emotional moment for me was November 27, 2010 when my brother got home from Argentina. I remember waiting at the gate in the airport and watching him walk toward us with a huge smile on his face, which quickly doubled to mine. I missed him so much and him and I were both going through such a hard time when he was gone. We really needed each other and few things compare to the hug we shared after many months of being in different countries. He is my best friend and the most important person in my life. Always has been, always will be.

Also, the Bon Iver concert on August 10, 2011. It feels kind of lame to add something like a concert to this list of intensely emotional moments, but it is something that will always stick with me. Standing in the front row, taking in this beautiful music, and feeling my heart beat along with it was nothing short of incredible. Listening to Bon Iver ever is an emotional experience for me, and seeing/hearing all of it right in front of me was just unreal. So much post concert depression after that one.

So I just typed a lot of words. Really thinking about this question has given me a lot of ideas about who I am, how I feel, and why things affect me the way they do. So think about it. What are your most emotionally charged memories?

I’m just glad that the majority of mine were molded with happiness.