I've been expanding my thoughts these last few weeks, dreaming about the possible potential of our tears. We enter and leave this world alone. There's only one way in and one way out, a solo journey. Every sunset, though, in between holds promise for connection with others. From our first breath to our last, we are inundated with the energy that flows between all living things.
I can't imagine that energy is a temporary thing lasting only this lifetime, but for the purposes of this essay, it's not essential to determine that. The reality is energy is what spins the globe and connects us all, a driving force that can't be seen, only experienced. I believe that fact makes it hard for some of us to believe in our power.
When we turn on a lamp, we can see the illumination surrounding us. We unfortunately can't measure our effect when we pass positive energy to a loved one. We might see a smile, a look in the eyes, but are we sure that our power has supplied that current?
We tend to be suspicious creatures; if we can't measure our abilities, we discount them and often dismiss them altogether.
My experience with Kathy reminded me, like a jolt of welcome electricity, that the human connection is alive and well. We have a power that God/the Universe has equipped us with to carry each other through the storms that life will from time to time offer.
The act of crying with another is a bonding experience. Whether we are the person being nurtured, the nurturer, or crying together, these experiences create a connection unlike any other.
So how important are tears? I advocate for the idea that they are the stars of this show called life, the tiny powerhouses of energy we have been equipped with to get us through our most important moments— births, deaths, weddings, triumphs, and even our difficult life lessons, aka failures. Tears go hand in hand with our most important journeys. They are the breadcrumbs for the trip, the markers of our most significant passages.
These healing gems are not only available for our healing, but I'm also questioning whether they have the power to heal others. If we cry together, share someone’s sorrow, and grieve their burden, are we eliminating some small portion of their grief? I think we are.
Since as I said, there isn't a meter to measure the healing power we can share, I'll have to rely on my instincts and the fact that I can always find my way with my tears. I’ll be believing that my tears might be helping others to do the same.
Thank you for your many comments on this series. I love hearing your thoughts. I know this has been a heavy topic. Please keep sharing your hearts.
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Tears are continually near the surface of my emotions. Your reference to them as "tiny powerhouses of energy" makes me feel good about crying. Science says crying stimulates the production of endorphins that take away physical/psychological pain. I am convinced there is a positive effect of crying with someone. My eyes tear up when I see someone crying. I like you talking about things we don't usually talk about, yet are very much a part of our daily lives, ❤️
I too am enjoying this series. Tears have been a large topic in my life. As you know, my mom cried during Mary Poppins. My dad would always ask my mom, "What's a feeling?" I inherited from both!
I prefer deeper connections in life. As I age, I've pulled more and more away from the superficial. I also have begun to allow my ability to be an ice or issue melter for others. I've noticed that as I go through my days when I go out into the world (instead of staying in my solitude), I have this way of interacting where total strangers tell me their secrets. It's not that I demand it. It's that, somehow and in some way, I make it easy and comfortable for them to feel and emit their feelings, in a way that they realize this part of them is the best of them.
Locked secrets hold power, we don't usually know we have access to them if we open them up.