When you were a kid, was it considered o.k. to cry when you needed to spirit friends? Society will tell you that crying is for “babies” and that it’s also only for girls. I so hope you never bought into any of this but sometimes we are conditioned by adults to become who they want us to be. Obviously, nothing should ever be in extremes but crying usually gets a bad rap. When helping my son last year with a Health assignment, one of the words was emotional. I asked him what he thought this word meant and his answer: “crying.” Oh, did Mom have some explaining to do there and no, he and his sister both are not being raised to  think those above societal statements. He is actually more sensitive to things in life than she is. Emotions cover a whole gamut of feelings but crying gets that negativity attached to it often.

Yes, it is probably the majority of sadness where ones will cry the most but remember there are happy tears, surprised tears, and even tears of anger. They perhaps don’t get the attention that the sad ones do but we have them all. Some people may never cry that often at all and there are those who maybe do too much. Sometimes, it’s just who we are and can’t be helped. As toddlers, we might throw that tantrum that results in crying but need to be taught correctly. There is a time and place for everything but there are moments when we can’t help it and those tears just flow. Crying releases thru our tear ducts and cleanses in the way that works for us. It is therapeutic and we need that venting. Don’t wait until it builds up inside and you explode. Am sure you can think of certain times in your own life when even as a adult, those tears came and maybe you might not even know why…

I am an ugly crier and I hate that term but it’s true. I can think of three specific times in my life when this happened. There’s that magical number again for me (: The first time was as a child and my family already knew when Kathy cries, it’s awful. I try to hold it in and then just sob and shake all over. I literally can’t catch my breath and it gets worse before it gets better. This time was a friend’s house for a First Communion meeting and parents were there too. That’s how they did it back then with going to houses instead of just a meeting room at church. Anyway, the priest called on me to answer a question and I froze. You know, kinda like in school when a teacher calls on you and you don’t want to participate. Everyone is looking and what happened? I burst into tears in front of the whole room. Yep, that was me at seven years old. Poor little girl… The priest was trying so hard by saying how he’s going to take my tears and put them in his pocket to keep. You may be thinking ” how sweet” but I assure you back then, it only made it worse for me. I have no idea how I faced school the next day but somehow I did. My family STILL remembers that story and it bugs me always but instead of being defensive, I just like to think my life is too memorable to forget!

The two adult times were very different and one has more of a story. The first involved my son’s preschool teachers and a conference I had with them his last year. I knew he was struggling and needed a little push but was floored when they recommended another year for him! I couldn’t believe this was their suggestion and as I listened, I could hear that voice inside saying: “Don’t cry Kathy, don’t cry….” Over and over again this was me while only hearing bits of what they were saying. Finally, the lava spewed out and the tears gushed with my breathing extremely compromised. Guess what happened? My former inner preschool teacher finally came to the rescue a few days later and whipped my boy into academic shape! There she was from my past guiding and prepping him for Kindergarten. Those teachers never said anything about his sudden progress but the following year, his Kindergarten teacher ( who I loved and both my kids had ) couldn’t believe those preschool teachers! He did very well and just needed a little push but those tears were ugly again only this time as a Mama and not seven years old.

The last time was gee, I dunno….. never will forget six years ago. I was being sarcastic but it was after Warrior passed. I truly thought those tears would come fast, hard, and heavy but for a while they didn’t. I seem to be catatonic when in shock so that time was one of those moments for me. I think it took days for my brain to process what happened but when it finally did, I must’ve gone thru so many boxes of tissues. So glad to be home alone during most of it and my book Spirit and Belief details more on that. Even the littlest things brought those tears and sometimes i couldn’t even explain why. I needed to let it all go and was never fully sure when it would come. There were plenty of happy tears though since I would have a grateful moment about him or knowing how much he truly loved his family. I’d laugh at a silly wrestling memory that my whole side would hurt! So glad to have those times too.

So, Spirit Friends do you have any crying moments to remember? We need them all and should be proud. Yes, some are ugly like mine could be and just when we think we have no tears left, here they come again. We never seem to run out. When people pass they will come for sure but look for those other times in your life and ya know what? It’s o.k. really it is. We might get embarrassed but it’s what we need to do without bottling it all up. Don’t put them in your pocket for later. I share my stories so you can also share yours. It’s a different subject for sure but with everything going on in the world today, crying those tears needs to flow. We need to express that sorrow to get back to the good. Nothing in extreme but there will be times when it can’t be helped. Do they best you can and get rid of those stereotypes of it being for babies or just girls when they’re little. With men, you can be tough and gentle since you need it all in your life. It makes us whole humans and crying is an emotion we have to get out.

Cry Those Tears friends, even if they are ugly ones. Just remember the happy ones count too as we continue on this journey of life. Whatever kind of crier you are, let them come out the way they need to. Your own Spirit is releasing and sometimes that’s exactly what we have to do…. Don’t shame them, make them yours and keep them close…

~~~ Next week, so excited to share some info on a yoga/ drumming class I will be attending this Friday! I have mentioned Sound Healing before but this is only drums so hopefully, I’ll have some interesting tidbits as take aways!!! Stay tuned and stay true Spirit friends!!!

~~~ Find me also on here: http://www.mywarriorwritings.com, twitter, youtube, and pinterest (: