"Even though our emotional and spiritual lives are distinct, they do influence one another profoundly. Our feelings often give us a window on our spiritual journeys. When we cannot let go of jealousy, we may wonder if we are in touch with the Spirit in us that cries out "Abba." When we feel very peaceful and "centered," we may come to realize that this is a sign of our deep awareness of our belovedness. Likewise our prayer lives, lived as faithful response to the presence of the Spirit within us, may open a window on our emotions, feelings, and passions and give us some indication of how to put them into the service of our long journey into the heart of God."(Henri Nouwen) How attentive are we to the presence of the Spirit within us, to the subtle move of his grace within us? When we experience various emotional moments, specifically, those that have been painful, have we ask the Lord to reveal to us what is going on within us and what he desires us to do in response? Is this emotional expression a trigger to something deeper within us that we are dealing with on the surface or afraid to deal with at the source? What we hate within us may be the point of transformation that God desires to begin with and bring about in us.