Beautiful Tears

“Cry Baby” that‘s what I was called in my childhood. I could cry at the drop of a hat. No
wonder my uncle called me "Our Lady of Sorrows". Jokes apart, crying is something that has always been very close to my heart due to my three decade long association with them.

Though we all enter this world crying, it’s surprising that as we grow up we consider it to be a

taboo. We tend to forget that like jealousy, anger, happiness, this is also a form of human

emotion. Just like smiles denote joy, tears denote pain….then why do we stifle our teams when

we don’t stifle our smiles? It’s worth mentioning here that stifling emotions is very harmful and

can lead to nervous breakdown. This has been immortalized by our film actresses when they

are unable to cry in a state of shock.

Tears have so many forms – tears of joy, tears of pain, tears of failure, tears of gratitude and
sometimes we just shed them reminiscing about wonderful memories. Tears are a beautiful
form of expression giving voice to our innermost unspoken feelings. They help us accept our
limitations as a human being and give us the capacity to face our troubles with a renewed
vigour. The sense of calm we get after a bout of tear shedding is unforgettable. Apart from
making us feel lighter, magically they also seem to give us the strength to move ahead.

Since the time we are born we are constantly told that shedding tears is cowardice. On the
contrary I feel it is a symbol of one’s strength. It takes guts to break down crying for a while and
regain your strength to run towards your goal again. It is said that a human being’s psyche is
developed in the first five years from our birth. And “Don’t cry” is the most often used word we
hear during that time leading us to believe that crying is something shameful.

By saying all this I am not saying one should cry for each and every thing in life. But at the same
time I also believe that when you fail and doubts cloud your mind, crying proves to be an
invigorating exercise. Once you feel better, it’s back to On-Your-Marks, Get-Set, Go…….If you
notice some of our well defined determinations are also made after a teary session. It just feels
so right as your mind is clear of all the pain waiting to be filled with fresh thoughts again.

Though fortunately I have a close knit person with whom I can share everything,
still nothing can match those “solitude sessions” as I call them; because for me solitude is a
place which is free from everything – free from criticism, no fear of being ridiculed on or being
scolded. During those sessions I spend time with myself, cry my heart out just letting all my
grief and hurt go and at the end I feel rejuvenated. It feels as if it’s a newer me presented with a
white canvas to paint it again with the colours of my choice. Sometimes I feel these tears wash
away the dirt accumulated in my eyes.

Considering crying to be feminine is an altogether a separate topic to be debated on. While from
now;

“Shed those beautiful tears and cleanse your eyes of the dirt to see a beautiful world full of opportunities more clearly.”