There is a sacredness in tears - they are not the mark of weakness but of power. They are messengers of overwhelming grief and of unspeakable love. - Washington Irving
Shedding tears is our body's response to overwhelming emotion, whether it is joy or sadness. Tears enable us to physically cope with whatever triggered the adrenal gland to respond. When our bodies cannot handle the emotion, our tears flow in response to our overpowering need to cope. Most times we are refreshed after a good cry and typically feel better. Did you ever crave the notion to watch a tear-jerker movie? Perhaps you needed to purge the tears and subconsciously you encouraged the trigger to cry so the healing cycle could take place. The expression of crying a river depicts a continuous need to release the pain within ourselves, enabling this release of energy to continue another path unto the universe, perhaps quenching a dry dam. We cry tears of joy for the same reason; it is our body's basic physical need. Women are known to cry more often because we are in tune with our response system and society allows us to express emotions more so than men. I don't agree with this old fashioned way of thinking but I realize this will not change anytime soon, so the best I can do is impress upon my sons that it is acceptable to express yourself and if it takes tears, just cry. Let it flow. xo
