I am wired to be an emotion vacuum cleaner that sucks up all my children's pain. My children are all
This problem, The Vacuum Cleaner Syndrome, is a difficult disease to cure.
" How can one vacuum cleaner help another vacuum cleaner?"
Four of us around the circle smiled and laughed at the image.
Then I blurted out, "Why, show the other vacuum cleaner how to reverse the hose and blow out the dirt, rather than suck it in and collect it."
That comment released waves of uncontrollable laughter that actually did blast clean air through all of us.
Compassion and empathy are vital but my tendency is to try to fix my husband and kids by hoarding their pain within my own heart.
Does my tendency to absorb my children's emotions help them?
NO.
Do my seemingly selfless reactions weigh me down?
YES.
Is anyone fixed or set free as I sacrifice my own peace and happiness to try to help my family?
NO.
Does this Vacuum Cleaner Syndrome destroy everyone's peace and joy?
YES.
The good news is that a silly image that pictures mum as a vacuum cleaner does reverse this self- defeating, addictive pattern because it makes it easier for everyone to understand how ludicrous I have been . The laughter that follows releases the tension used to keep emotional pain locked up inside.
Jesus is the only vacuum cleaner who has the ability to literally sucked in everyone's emotional pain, sin etc. and then blow in joy, peace and new life back in to every person who allows Him do His job.
The great exchange; surrender dirt and receive the bright, clean breathe of God and then laugh at how long it took you to let it happen.
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