Sometimes there is just a moment where darkness, heaviness, and despair come over me so hard it’s like being hit by a tidal wave. I used to think that when this happened, it was because something was fundamentally wrong with me. I know now that rather, it’s me feeling the vibrations and wavelengths of others. Somewhere out there, something happened at that moment. Maybe it was something happening to someone down the street, maybe it was the planets aligning in such a way that the vibrations coursed through me. I am permeable and I am receptive, for better or for worse. So I breathe through it and remind myself to be thankful for my openness. For many years it was such a curse, but now, I realize it is a blessing, in so many more ways.