Emotions come and go, suffering comes and go, chronic pain ebbs and flows, the point being - I am none of these things although I get affected (or effected) by them. But its only temporary.

I used to let my thoughts tie me up in knots for hours on end at night in bed when I couldn't sleep. Now I give free reign to my thoughts when my head contacts the pillow for 5 or 10 minutes or so. Then - redirect to the breath and poof all that knot tying comes undone and sleep happens.

PS when I first put leeks in soup I did not rinse them throughly and got a gritty beach sand in my teeth. Live and learn - hopefully.