We Affect Each Other
We affect each other
push and pull on each other’s emotions
if we drown we drag people down with us
if we fly others draft in our wake.
vent your frustrations into somebody’s ear
watch their smile disappear
or
laugh until they can’t help laughing too
love until they are loving you
It gets bigger.
Sometimes you are part of something beyond yourself
sometimes you are angry for no reason
and the people on the street match your mood
sometimes you overhear conversations
or see a trend on social media
which inexplicably echo your private feelings.
Is it the moon?
Herd instinct?
Illusion?
When I didn’t have feelings
I watched it happen
distantly curious.
Now that I’ve found my heart
I am swayed with the populace
flowing where they flow.
Ardently curious
and still no answer.
Fresh Hell 
Sarah, this is so wonderful! I don’t know why, exactly, but this reminds me of the song by Neil Young, “I am a child.” And now I’m smiling and singing to myself! Science has addressed this question that you pose, btw, and has an explanation–mirror neurons. They are actually one aspect of science that doesn’t take away the fun of wondering. Mirror neurons are freaking amazing! I hope you get a chance to look them up. Monkey see, monkey do! Mona
LikeLiked by 1 person
That’s very cool, mirror neurons! We are such monkeys, aren’t we? And what a neat name… maybe I’m appreciating the wrong part, lol!
I’m still not sure how it seems to happen on a larger scale though. Sometimes it seems like I’ll wake up enraged, in my isolated bubble, and then when I get online I find out that everyone in the nation is also enraged. Or it works with happy stuff too. Like, I’ll be in a great mood and everyone else seems to be posting silly things that day, and we can’t even see each other’s neurons! Maybe a mirrored mood can travel at the speed of reflecting light, and spreads through the people faster than I can conceive. Maybe I can catch a mood from a passing co-worker and not even know it…
That song is adorable. :3
LikeLiked by 1 person
Very cool theory, there, Sarah! I like it! Also, there’s the Flap of a Butterfly’s Wings can create a tsunami across the world theory and then there’s Jung and his Collective Unconscious! So one’s scientific based, the others are philosophically based! I think they all tend to work together! BTW, you should join our bloggers group, Dungeon of Loom on FB. We have a lot of fun over there! If you want to join, look us up and I or someone else will let you in! We’d love to have you join us!
LikeLiked by 2 people
OK 🙂
Oh, I forgot about Jung and his Collective Unconscious. O_O I can’t handle that right now! I prefer the butterfly explanation!
LikeLiked by 2 people