I saw a post somewhere on social media stating—in type on a colored square, of course, to make the words look like a picture—that you should never feel sorry for telling someone how you feel.

The “image” had a lot of “likes.” (Sigh.)

At first, my eyes skipped over the entry as one of the silly empowerment-esque things people say on social media. And then I paused.

Really?

Frankly, I think the statement crosses over the silly line over into the realm of thoughtlessness in the vein of “everything happens for a reason,” which I complained about in a previous post.

People cannot possibly believe that they can, without penalty, tell anyone what they feel at any time. Perhaps a person shouldn’t self-flagellate for having an emotion, but that doesn’t mean he should inflict his emotions on others without heed or consequence.

Yes, sometimes you should feel sorry for telling someone else what you feel.

Examples?

We’ve all felt angry and said things we wouldn’t have said if we’d stopped a moment, considered the situation, and realized that the person in question had no fault. Frustration with a coworker should subside into a level at which constructive conversation can occur before you express anything whatsoever. The subject of your unrequited love or jealousy or neediness holds no responsibility for your emotions and shouldn’t share their stress. Further, if you suffer massive insecurity, you should not expect your friends, family, and associates to bear its burden or put up with its side effects.

Sometimes, no, you should not tell people how you feel. Feel it, by all means. Express it to someone whom it could hurt or concern or burden unnecessarily? No.

What do you think?

Should you tell just anyone at any time what you feel, if so compelled? And should you ever feel sorry for expressing your emotions?