“Oh, I am very weary, Though tears no longer flow; My eyes are tired of weeping, My heart is sick of woe.”

The above quote was from Anne Bronte...I like it a lot. My entries seem to be jelling into a series about emotions, so I'll continue the theme, so to speak.

How often do we cry? Not just tear up, but go into a full scale weeping? Really let the tears flow? I'm sure women do that more often then men, but it's a legit question, I think.

Just as getting angry is vitally important for releasing emotions that have the potential to corrode and eat at our souls, crying does the same thing, I think, but in a different way. Anger gets rid of those emotions which threaten to "blow us up". Anger disposes of those feelings that would cause us harm by their toxicity-slowing eating our souls from the inside, until there's nothing left but bitterness and cynicism.

Crying..I think, gets rid of those emotions that would sink our souls. Just like a ship that takes on too much water, crying gets rid of those emotions that would cause us to sink further and further into despair and grief. Crying allows us to get rid of those emotions that drag us down into sadness, and depression. Crying is like a rainfall...it clears the metaphorical skies of our life of clouds and grayness.

The last time I cried is when I realized that something I was hoping for would most likely never happen in regards to my personal life. Someone I cared about deeply was never going to see me in "that" way. Never. EVER. And yes, I was mad as well, and yes, it was recently. And I got angry. Angry with myself for letting my emotions run wild and rampant, angry for being a fool, and angry for a whole lot of things. And that got rid of the bitterness and rage (mostly). But there was a residual feeling that still hung around after my little tantrum. I realized in due course that me getting angry didn't rid myself of the immense sadness I felt. It didn't rid me of the grief, and melancholy that still existed in my heart.

So, I freely admit that this wasn't my eyes tearing up, or getting moist, or any of the euphemisms that are out there. I wept. Freely and unabashedly. There was nothing else I could do. And yes, I'm a guy, and guys are supposed to keep their feelings under control...but gentlemen--it doesn't make you any less than a man to acknowledge to yourself and others that you have emotions and that you aren't a robot!

But getting back to the subject at hand. Life can be brutal. And unfair. And SO UNFAIR. Life can turn around and treat you like crap. And those emotions will drag you under to the point where you can't function. Those feelings have to go somewhere, and be released. And yes...sometimes getting angry helps. But sometimes...the emotions of grief, despair, sadness...futility can only be expunged by sitting down by yourself, or someone who cares about you, or even a trained professional (should it come to that), and crying. And a word of warning...sometimes people believe that they get angry and they let it all out, and that's that. They make the mistake of thinking that rage and anger is the only cathartic option open to them. It's not.

Let it all out. Whether you cry to God, or whatever deity you believe in, or the fates, or just at the injustices of the world...do not keep it inside. Please.