Queue The Waterworks - No, Seriously - CRY!

I'm always so sad for people who cry in my presence, then apologize as if they are doing something wrong. I am always quick to say, "Your tears are welcome here." But here is what I really wish I had time to say:

I LOVE seeing tears. Tears mean we have reached a sacred place, where you are really listening to the queues in your body and allowing your raw emotions to surface. When tears come, so does the truth, usually naked and unfiltered which is the best way for the truth to come forward really.

All too quickly we punish ourselves for crying, as though it's a sign of weakness, but I would argue that. I think tears are a sign of strength. It takes courage not to swallow our deep emotions and to show them to an other human. Tears lead to intimacy in safe relationships. Without saying it, the crier is declaring that they are willing to be vulnerable and when they can really let it out, that choice usually tells others they are not here to fight, but rather to be heard and seen for who they are and what ails them.

The benefits are endless: Not only do we feel better after a good cry (seriously! Let those toxins out!), but we usually can get comfort or help through our tears. Crying is recognized across the entire world, all through time, as a distress symbol - something is wrong, I am angry, I am hurt, I am scared, worried, upset, you name it. When those tears come, others know I am in need of something.

As a person who longs to help others find peace in whatever capacity that looks like, now you can see why I love tears. It means we have breached the defense mechanisms and now we can find true healing. It means you will let me in, and allow me to hear what truly needs to be said.

If you are a crier, and people shamed you for that - I am sorry. Crying is a sign of strength, even if its been falsely advertised as a weakness.

Bring your tears to therapy. Take them to your loved ones. Don't hold them back, as they serve a purpose.

Most importantly, never feel shame for being a human with complex emotions. Let those tears flow.