the last big dance of the year is that tonight is the most wonderful spring night you ever sall it wasn't too long ago when you started to think about your emotions objectively there was that day in class hank was there to wondering what today's lesson will be about said i slipped in psychology is going to be about emotions now we all start with a primary set and as we grow older we acquire more of them we've all read about bluebeard's closet and pandora's box most of us know the fascination of locked places and hidden things that fascination is probably the emotional side of our curiosity would you like to know what's in the box  just experienced emotion on reasoning illogical emotion thanks no do you think that i'd turn loose a poisonous snake in the classroom only association would cause you to feel the emotion of fear at the sight of a harmless snake emotion can so worked on us  under its stimulus we may sometimes perform feats of almost superhuman strength you like to come up around the table and see what's in the second box most of you now plainly show the results of emotional conditioning a box elder snake you don't like snakes so now you associate a box with a snake or with some possible danger friendly and you feel same way toward him you wouldn't tolerate anyone hurting a single hair of his shaggy coat yet how quickly your emotions changed while walking the cabbie that afternoon familiar convertible rolling by hank was smiling there was an attractive girl beside him a stranger she sat so close to him she was practically in his lap how could he the deceitful you yank poor cappy along behind you but cathy you love you were hurt in your ears and indignant all at once you felt completely alone deserted any other time you would have been the first to the phone just in case it was hank but now jealousy had swept away your common sense fortunately your mother had a sense of humor you came to realize what your parents mean to you how pleasant the feeling of emotional security is the mutual love and respect you all share and take for granted loving others and being loved is a good feeling a feeling everyone wants to share else that particular teacher's house what reason did anyone have to start such a thing as a stone smash the window you saw how hysteria turns individuals into a mob you were amazed to see sudden impulses robbed normally decent people of their  that night you and hank kept your emotional balance and remain rash so you learn that it isn't always easy to think things out in the heat of the moment and you'll never forget that day  the fencing class sally when you found out how uncontrollable and intense emotion can be your opponent's dog parrying seemed perfect tire again and again she moved just a little faster than you your intense frustration boiled up inside you and then suddenly erupted into fight anger you wanted to injure her and then caught control of yourself it left you sick to your stomach and even now you wince when you think of  it no you never want to feel that way again sally it wasn't easy learning to stop and think things out when strong emotion possesses you but that's the real test of whether you are learning to you learn through experience that no matter how deep the emotion is you don't have to let it take you over you have come to realize that by bringing calm reasoning to emotional question your decisions will be what you really want them to be you're starting to think about your emotions sally and you are on the way toward emotional matur