Reply To: Emma + Baelfire = Swanfire

I think it’s easier to bury your past in the sand than it is to deal with it. Emma said she tried to bury her old feelings, but they just came rushing back when she thought she’d lost Neal a second time. Emma is scared to death of losing Neal yet again now that she knows he’s alive. Yet, as long as Emma continues not to deal with her fears, those old feelings, misconceptions, and hurt will continue to resurface anytime a tragedy happens. That would just be avoidance, not growth. What if Emma dated Hook, in an attempt to forget about her pain, but then things didn’t work out with him either and they broke up? Well, because Emma didn’t do her homework of exploring her old relationship, she might be doomed to repeat mistakes of keeping men at arms’ length because she never found healing. But then, that’s not real growth then is it? Growth comes when we face adversity, when we examine our own history under a microscope to understand why we are the way we are, and then learn overcome our own nasty habits. While it may hurt, it may be hard, it may take time, learning to face one’s past can often help one to actually advance forward.