FROM How to Root Out Hidden Faults by Fr. James F. McElhone:

Pride of sensitiveness is brought about by self-love being wounded. The sensitive person is quickly hurt. In fact, it may be said, he prepares himself to be wounded. Ordinarily he imagines things, he misjudges, he misinterprets, he exaggerates, he is suspicious and distrustful. His memory is prone to cling to what has happened to him in an adverse way; he remembers who and what have hurt him. He is ready to see a slight and to feel it. He plans revenge. He fights mental battles of what he will say and how he will act. He is unforgiving, carrying ill-feeling for short or long periods of time and in the same mood refusing to speak or speaking coldly to the one who is the object of his bitterness.

The sensitive person usually has a wild imagination. He imagines things; he creates improbable and almost impossible conditions; he pictures what may happen; and always he is being more or less wounded by someone. He feels that others do not make him welcome; he thinks they do not like him, or are trying to make fun of him, or are talking about him when he is absent. He imagines he is not wanted in games, and any mistakes he makes therein prove further to him that such is the case. His superior has a grudge against him; his teachers are not just; his companions are harsh and uncharitable. Seemingly nearly everybody is opposed to him. No wonder he is self-conscious; no wonder he is moody; no wonder he broods.

How unreasonable the sensitive person is! He is the cause to a great extent of his own unhappiness, though actually he gets malicious joy out of his sensitiveness at times. He knows that others realize that they must be on their guard how they speak or act to him, and that very consideration makes him more self-centered. If others hurt him, he is glad; he has someone to be offended at; another will have
to bow in apology to him; there is a sense of satisfaction in not being on speaking terms with another. He makes himself feel badly; he wants to feel badly; he gets a false joy out of it. He does not seem to understand that suffering from the right motive brings happiness; he does not realize that he is only adding to his unhappiness — that such false joy as he allows himself is passing, unreasonable, and wrong.

Read more.

Please follow and like us: