Tears
I don’t remember what I was thinking about this morning, but I do remember feeling a tear flow down my cheek. I wasn’t laughing, and I was definitely feeling sad. The presence of the tear got me to thinking about the multiple purposes it serves in our lives.
Is the tear the result of a good memory of an experience that we long to relive, but deep down we know we can’t? Or is it from a bad memory which now makes us wish we could go back, and change the course of the events which happened, perhaps as the result of our own actions? Such is the luxury of wisdom that comes with age.
Is the tear coming from the realization that some of our dreams will never come true, no matter how hard we struggled to make it happen? Is it frustration from a goal we still hold on to, but life has thrown another speed bump into our path? Or could the tears well up when we have achieved a long cherished goal, and our joy overwhelms us?
They can be produced from happiness and from grief. They flow down our face, but deeply cleanse the emotions we feel at the moment. They gather up the dirt of sadness, but leave behind the solution of hope we need to overcome our fears.
Traditionally, western society teaches males to suppress their tears, their fears, and their emotions. Such is the role of being part of “the stronger sex”! This can be quite a burden, not only on the poor fellow who wants to unload their grief, but also on any other fellows in the vicinity who don’t know how to handle such displays. Most likely we will move to stifle the outburst, when in reality we should let it run its course.
There have been several occasions in the past year when I could’ve cried, but didn’t. I think I have moved past the societal expectations of men and crying. I am grateful that my tears have flowed, and will continue to flow when the occasion warrants their use. There are many times when their use is a natural reaction in human beings. There are many times when only I will know my reason for tears.
(Dad, I miss you!)
Is the tear the result of a good memory of an experience that we long to relive, but deep down we know we can’t? Or is it from a bad memory which now makes us wish we could go back, and change the course of the events which happened, perhaps as the result of our own actions? Such is the luxury of wisdom that comes with age.
Is the tear coming from the realization that some of our dreams will never come true, no matter how hard we struggled to make it happen? Is it frustration from a goal we still hold on to, but life has thrown another speed bump into our path? Or could the tears well up when we have achieved a long cherished goal, and our joy overwhelms us?
They can be produced from happiness and from grief. They flow down our face, but deeply cleanse the emotions we feel at the moment. They gather up the dirt of sadness, but leave behind the solution of hope we need to overcome our fears.
Traditionally, western society teaches males to suppress their tears, their fears, and their emotions. Such is the role of being part of “the stronger sex”! This can be quite a burden, not only on the poor fellow who wants to unload their grief, but also on any other fellows in the vicinity who don’t know how to handle such displays. Most likely we will move to stifle the outburst, when in reality we should let it run its course.
There have been several occasions in the past year when I could’ve cried, but didn’t. I think I have moved past the societal expectations of men and crying. I am grateful that my tears have flowed, and will continue to flow when the occasion warrants their use. There are many times when their use is a natural reaction in human beings. There are many times when only I will know my reason for tears.
(Dad, I miss you!)
posted by todd gunther | 6:29 AM
1 Comments:
"Tears" - This item is beautiful. It should be published as I feel that many people could benefit from it. We may never know how many lives that we have touched in a positive way. Thank you for sharing your thoughts on this subject.
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