Crying is for Cry-Babies?

I wrote this blog in my head at 7 am when I woke up and was not able to fall back asleep. I couldn't get past a comment that someone made the night before.  It rubbed me the wrong way.  I can't remember the exact words, but whether it was meant to come across like this or not, my takeaway was "crying was for the weak".  As I said, this rubbed me the wrong way.  First, I had just come off a rough week where I felt like walls were closing in around me and the only exit were paths that I wasn't sure I wanted to take.  Sacrifices that I knew I would make and want to make but for whatever reason, did not seem appealing at the given moment.  Secondly, I had literally been crying no less than an hour before which created a personal link to the comment.  Either way, the words hung in the air around me for the rest of the evening.  Why is it that people think crying is a sign of weakness? And why is it that if you do cry occasionally, you suddenly get classified as a "cry-baby"?  Why can't someone just cry and move on with their life?

Crying is therapeutic. For me, it is a way for built up energy and emotion to come pouring out.  My freshmen year of college, my roommate taught this to me.  I can remember doing poorly on a paper that I worked so hard on or getting in a fight with my boyfriend, and coming back to the dorm room angry.  She would be say to me, "you just need a good cry and you'll feel better".  As weird as that sounded, it was true. 

I think crying is one of the most human acts that an individual can do.  It forces you to put your guard down and just let go.  For me, once I let go, I feel like I can take a deep breath and start over.  It is almost cleansing in a sense.  Now explaining to Moe that I just needed a good cry is sometimes difficult as he wants to do something to make me feel better.  However, I think him working in the hospital and witnessing how the act is therapeutic and healing at times has helped. 

Now please don't think I moved away, and I cry myself to sleep at night :)  That is hardly the case.  I am actually the happiest I have ever been and have enjoyed this move more than I could have ever imagined. I feel like Moe and I are at an exciting point in our lives and that the journey ahead although difficult at times, will be exciting.  Even so, no matter where you live or what you are doing, we all have our moments.

Anyways, enough of my ranting on the topic of crying.  All I have left to say is that if you haven't cried in awhile, you should consider giving it a try. 

Quote:  "Let your tears come.  Let them water your soul."  ~ Eileen Mayhew

Yes..... I stole L Rizzy's quote idea at the end of my blog :)

- Miss J