My favorite aspect about life is how connected I am to the people and environment that exist around me. Using my intuition, I am able to detect when something is wrong and identify with the person or situation on an emotional level. In a sense, I ‘feel’ my way through life as a result of strong gut instincts and my ability to assess a situation based on the vibe I receive. I am sensitive, and I probably think about things harder and more often than I should. As much or as little as we like to admit, everyone is sensitive to their own extent. Vulnerability is not a component of weakness.

There are a lot of times, however, that I wish I wasn’t so sensitive. I remember when I was younger being told that I was a sensitive person and seeing it as a flaw in my personality. After that, I tried to act as though I wasn’t bothered by anything and hid every sensitive instinct I had. I am a confident person, which helps exponentially, but this doesn’t mean that there haven’t been times I’ve been kept awake at night thinking about something miniscule. I try not to obsess over the smallest things, but it’s untrue to say that we can always control how certain things affect us. For me, confrontation is scary and uncomfortable. I am bothered when someone doesn’t like me, and I often take things personally. I think deeply about situations long after they have ended and tend to think of every possible outcome before the end has been reached or the full story revealed. This is an element of who I am, and sure, it causes me to worry before I need to, but it also reminds me that I care. Sensitivity does not look like someone who cries all the time, can’t take a joke, overreacts, or is offended by everything. Instead, sensitivity is the instinct to feel with your heart before you think with your mind and to encounter your true feelings sooner rather than later.

One day, while scrolling through quotes on Tumblr, I found one about sensitivity that helped me to see the trait in a different way. “I used to dislike being sensitive. I thought it made me weak. But take away that single trait, and you take away the very essence of who I am. You take away my conscience, my ability to empathize, my intuition, my creativity, my deep appreciation of the little things, my vivid inner life, my keen awareness to other’s pain, and my passion for it all.” I do not wish to live life behind a shield of armor and cannot withdraw from wearing my heart on my sleeve. I would rather hurt than feel nothing at all; and this is a sign of strength, not weakness. Courage exists in those who keep their hearts and minds open in the situations that challenge us the most.

A soft disposition is just as typical as a tough one. Neither trait shows more strength than the other; it is simply the distinction of how deeply you feel and how comfortable you are sharing your emotions. The challenge is to look at sensitivity as a positive trait rather than a negative one. You never know how a second glance could change your perspective.

Sidney Scott

Co-Editor-in-Chief