Two Things True

A concept that used to gnaw was feeling two opposite thoughts at the same time.

It felt like I had to pick one; both feelings couldn’t exist side by side. It was hard to hold space of a negative and a positive emotion together.

How can I feel frustrated and love someone in the same vein? How can I get annoyed at work but also enjoy being there?

As I got older, I realized thoughts don’t have to compete to be valid. Two things can be true. I can be upset with someone and still love them. I can feel irritated at work and still appreciate what I do.

That shift unlocked a healthier nuance — I didn’t have to think in black-and-white, grey was perfectly okay.