Emo...uh oh.

Gray, gray, gray

Whereas everything had it's simple characteristic stages(black, white, left, right)
Most of all it now was an undistinguished gray.

We learn not to live in extremes as we get past our formative years
and are told that happiness is this absence of extremes.

So you learn to:
Feel
Reason
Think

And not be too harsh on yourself for doing so.

If you are sad be sad.
If you are happy be happy.
If you are indifferent, be indifferent.
Intense experiences can make the next ones easier, and less 'all or nothing'

Those still stuck in the left or right phase(some never get out!) aren't people to keep close.
They lack the perspective to see that black and white are both sides of the same coin.
And you can't have one without the other, hence the gray.
Without down there is no 'up' and sometimes that's all we have to get through trying times.