Tears

Tears. My relationship with tears is quite an interesting thing. I remember a time when tears seemed to come at will, almost at the drop of a hat. Then, life happened, as it tends to do, and somewhere along the way, as I closed up my heart. Then without knowing when or how, the tears stopped falling.

Had I hardened my heart without recognizing it? Was this my reaction to the losses I experienced? One question I have, that only I can really answer is, When did the tears stop? I recall when they began again. But, when did they stop? When did I close off my heart?

I was first moved when I heard my daughter say, I cried today. We were having a tough conversation one night and I recall telling her, It’s okay to cry, tears are cleansing, all hypocritical like. The look on her face proved to me that she didn’t buy my words. I wouldn’t have either, looking back. But to hear her say, I cried today, in a tone of accomplishment mixed with embarrassment. I asked her how it felt. Good.

Tears represent the heart, the spirit, and the soul of a person. To put a lock and key on your emotions is to bury part of your Christlikeness! Max Lucado

We must cry at times. It keeps this heart of ours soft. It keeps us human. Life, circumstances, time, chance, losses, successes – happen to us all. We can choose to accept whatever life brings our way, with an open heart and whatever emotions come along the way. Or, heaven forbid, we can close our heart, bury our emotions, and harden ourselves to ever feeling again. I have been there, please allow me to say, the road to recovery, to feeling again is a necessary thing.

*Original Photo*