What triggers emotions?

I could go into a long diatribe about all emotions and what triggers them, how we react, but I’m not going to do that to you again! (Ok, this seems contradictory, but bear with me)

The reason I thought about it is that I watched Moonstruck tonight and every time I watch it, I have the same reactions, but the biggest one that always gets me is when they go to The Metropolitan Opera to see a production of La Boheme.

I know this opera, it’s one of my favorites, my parents took me when I was a kid and we did the production in college, I’ve listened to it on my own (never got into Rent) and seen it multiple times, on the stage and on the big screen.

The scene they show in Moonstruck is one of the saddest in the opera, second only to the scene at the end, when Mimi dies. The scene I am referring to is so sad that every time I hear that aria or see it, I start tearing up and I know me, I am prepared, but not prepared when it comes around, if that makes sense.

Maybe another time I’ll talk about other triggers, just wanted to share this one. What’s yours?