Oh Kubby!  This is such a great post!  I love this line of thinking...especially when we can have an emotional reaction to something that happens...*but isn't real.*  Like when you think you see something...but you actually don't have the right info and you misinterpret what is happening.  Isn't it interesting how our brains/emotions work?  

Like when he put his wedding ring in his pocket - the dudes in the class, although probably had a strong reaction, it was still much different than the reaction *you experienced*.  

The other day, I thought I saw something...a truck was recently stolen from the our driveway - and I thought I saw it (the truck) driving down the road.  I whipped around, bulldozed my way behind the truck - only to realize it *totally was NOT the stolen vehicle*.  However, my body was experiencing all kinds of crazy emotions.  ALL for NOTHING.

Now, you are talking about big symbolic things in your post (and I love that), but it's even more amazing to me, how we can see things that may or may NOT be real and have a very valid and tangible emotional reaction to it.

Thanks for the great post!  *...and you've given me lots to contemplate on those bigger issues.*