Today's C2C compares emotional growth (and the ability to experience emotions) with learning to play a piano; with mastery comes an appreciation for the highs and lows as they are a powerful reminder that we are alive and experiencing it fully.
I think this is quite a beautiful reading and it gives a new perspective on the constant struggle to "control" emotions. I think living in volatile or even dangerous situations with unstable people can cause us to become numb as a safety measure; if I feel nothing then I am far less likely to react to bs treatment and draw criticism or abuse. This can be a really hard habit to break and I think a lot of us continue to think we have "failed" when we experience the more intense emotions because of the underlying belief that the more control we exert over ourselves and our lives, the safer we will be. 
These days I try to put the more intense/ unpleasant emotions to work on creative projects and that's far healthier than trying to deny they are there. So too I no longer fear feeling happy or even elated as I am not waiting for the other shoe to drop. I know life is like the tides, high and low coming and going no matter what I do but knowing I have taken reasonable steps to ensure I am not in physical and emotional danger all the time means I can observe and experience this and I'm very grateful for that.