All emotions are strong. If I had to choose the strongest emotion it would be grieving. Grieving can be unbearable and and will last longer than the others. Watching or knowing a loved one is going to die and you are completely unable to protect, mend, relieve the situation, is the strongest, most intense, helpless emotion one can endure.

Anger: Anger is an intense emotion, but it can also can be mitigated, addressed, relieved, discussed. By addressing the cause, anger can loose its power and intensity. This emotion is not helpless. It can be fixed by coming to a mutual agreement,”letting go” or forgiving. While grieving is unforgiving.

Hate: Hate is the glove that love wears. They are closely related, strong, powerful. Hate, like anger, hopefully is and can be temporary. Like anger, it can be intensely felt and overwhelming in the heat of it, however it is possible to relieve it by applying understanding to it. Grieving holds no understanding.

Happiness: How we wish we could hang onto it forever! Happiness is made up of illusive moments that come our way and we so yearn to hold onto them forever. But, these can fade in time. Grieving never fades because it is always active. You learn, in time, to live with it but it is always there hiding, waiting for your heart, for just a mere memory can stir up and rekindle the ache.

Love: This emotion, without a doubt, is what everyone longs for the most. How we wish we could contain every loving moment we experience and hold it close forever, like an old photgraphh frozen in time. Love has varying degrees and meanings from the young couple “deeply in love” to the expression “I love ice cream”, however, just like ice cream, love can melt and fade away.

Exception to the rule is abiding love for your child or grandchild, son, daughter, husband, mother, father, brother, sister. For most of us, they are moments which do not last long enough. Unlike grieving, we welcome and embrace this wonderful emotion and at times, would even die for it. Who would not gladly lay down his life for the very ones he loves with all his heart.

Fear: Fear is a frightfully strong emotion. However it has a life span. It ends when the cause is taken out of the picture, or faced and dealt with. It can serve us well when needed to alert us to a dangerous situation. Fear, at times can be a friend. Grieving is no one’s friend.

Though all emotions are strong and deeply effect each and everyone of us, unlike grief, we have a choice over the others. We can choose to love, hate, be angry, be happy and face our fears. Sadly, grieving gives us no choice, so therefor, it may just be the strongest emotion we ever have to deal with.