Moods create an energy that other people can feel.  Even though you can’t see or touch another person’s emotions, you viscerally experience them.  If I am in a really good mood, people around me will pick up on my positive vibe, and most likely come along for the ride.  But if I am feeling negative, that also has a contagious effect.  My moods are like an STD that I have to be responsible for, and sometimes I need to wear an energetic condom so as not to infect others.

But to what extent am I responsible for how I make you feel? Technically, we should all be strong enough to separate from being excessively influenced by outside forces.  But just like our skin is porous, our dispositions will absorb the temperaments of those around us.

My bad mood can put you in a bad mood, just like your bad mood can put me in a bad mood.  Stop! Your dark muddy aura is making me feel icky and un-zen!!

I think this is one of the hardest parts about being a parent to a young child.  Toddlers are moody as fuck, and having to manage their states of being takes more effort than giving yourself an enema.  The Munch and I could be having a great time in the bath, and then she turns into an emotional vigilante because I turned off the water when she was still using it.  So I turn the water back on even though the bath is about to overflow because I want to restore the peace, but then she is furious about the water being too deep.

I can either put her in a time-out or I can try to make her laugh and switch things around to be jubilant again.  But keep in mind both these strategies take energy.  Dealing with time-outs are annoying because she just gets more pissed, which in turn makes me feel irritated and then her bad mood wins.  But I am not a clown and can’t always figure out how to make my bitch-ass kid not act like a bitch.  In reality all I want to do is say “hey kid, stop being such a dick and think about all the people in the world who die because don’t have clean water so relax and enjoy your stupid bath.”  Maybe providing perspective should be my approach in the future to get her out of her head and remind her that the world is full of suffering.

“Hey Munch, I am sorry you are upset that your Elmo toothbrush fell on the floor, but every 3 minutes a woman dies giving birth so cheer up!”