It's Okay to Cry

I never use to cry. I hated crying. I don't know if it was my stoic pride, my embarrassment, or an inability to gulp down the pain of what was before me. Whatever the case may be, I would pinch my fingers, bite my cheek, hide my face--do whatever it would take to not let anyone see me cry or even let myself.

Now, I seem to cry over everything! The touching music in the Sarah Mclaughlin/abused animal commercial...the ending of Tangled...a deep, spiritual hymn...thinking of my blessings...thinking of God...thinking of my fears... I turn into a major weeper!

And I know it probably isn't a big deal to people. Girls cry. So what? Everyone expects it. But for someone of us it isn't very easy.

Sometimes I feel guilty crying. Like I should be tougher, stronger, and not so stupidly emotional.

But it is okay to cry. It releases all that emotion and pain stored away. It is okay because God gave us tears. Even Jesus wept. And even if we don't want to start sobbing in front of everyone, it is okay to allow yourself at some point to cry. So whether you are trapped in a castle and think you will never see your father again...or you are lost in the woods and are surrounded by birds that look like umbrellas...or you can't go to the ball...or your heart was utterly and completely broken, whatever the case, be good to yourself. Let yourself cry. And always remember, each tear you shed just brings you one tear closer to the last tear you'll ever shed over what is hurting you.

<3