"I got angry again."
Haru held her head. After a trivial argument with a friend.
"Do you regret it?" Noa asked gently.
"Yes. I tried not to get angry."
Ren said calmly, "Emotions can be controlled. It's about training."
"Really?" Haru doubted.
"In Stoic philosophy, emotions are considered results of judgment."
Noa supplemented. "Not the event itself, but how you interpret it creates emotion."
Haru thought. "So if you change interpretation, emotion changes?"
"In theory," Ren answered.
"But," Haru countered, "emotions just well up. I can't control them."
Noa said quietly, "The welling emotion and whether to follow it are different."
"Different?"
"Primary emotional reactions can't be stopped. But secondary actions can be chosen."
Ren gave an example. "Feeling anger is automatic. But whether to yell is a choice."
Haru understood slightly. "Feeling emotion and expressing it are different?"
"Yes. And controlling expression is possible."
Noa added, "Furthermore, with practice, even primary emotional reactions can be changed."
"Really?"
"Basics of cognitive behavioral therapy. Change emotional reactions by changing thought patterns."
Ren explained. "Notice automatic thoughts and question them."
Haru asked. "For example?"
"A friend broke a promise. Automatically think 'I'm being disregarded.' But is that really true?"
Noa continued. "Aren't there other interpretations? Maybe they're sick. Maybe they just forgot."
"If interpretation changes, anger decreases."
Haru tried. "The argument earlier, is that the same thing?"
"What happened?" Ren asked.
"I felt my friend ignored my opinion."
"Were you really ignored?" Noa asked gently.
"...I don't know. I just felt that way."
"Emotion isn't a reflection of reality. It's a reflection of interpretation."
Haru took a deep breath. "So my interpretation might have been wrong."
"It's possible. But not necessarily wrong," Ren added.
"Which is it?"
"That's what dialogue is for, to verify."
Noa said, "Emotions are information. They tell us something is important."
"Information?"
"Anger is a signal that boundaries were violated. Sadness signals the value of what was lost."
Haru became interested. "So we shouldn't ignore emotions?"
"Not ignore, but understand," Ren said.
"Understand?"
"Why that emotion arose. What's really important."
Noa said quietly, "Emotions aren't enemies, they're allies."
"But being overwhelmed by emotions?"
"That's because you don't understand them."
Ren organized. "Feel emotion, understand it, then choose. These three stages are important."
Haru wrote in her notebook. "Not controlling emotions, but living with them?"
"Good way to put it," Noa smiled.
Ren added, "Complete control is impossible and undesirable."
"Undesirable?"
"Emotion is part of humanity. Losing it means something's missing."
Noa said, "People too calm can't empathize."
"Balance is important," Haru understood.
"Yes. Balance between emotion and reason."
Haru thought. "So next time I feel angry?"
"First, notice. Recognize 'Ah, I'm angry now,'" Ren advised.
Noa continued. "Next, think why you're angry. What's the real cause?"
"Then choose how to act."
Haru laughed. "Sounds simple but difficult."
"Practice is needed," Ren acknowledged. "But you'll be able to."
Noa said gently, "It's okay to fail. The courage to face emotions is already growth."
Haru looked at the window. "Emotions aren't to control, but to understand."
"And to live with," Ren concluded.
Noa nodded quietly. The three quietly felt their respective emotions.