Tears and Joy

I can cry at the drop of hat…seriously, I can! I found a picture album last week that had been misplaced for a long time. I sat down to look through it and within sixty seconds the tears were flowing. The pictures were of my parents when they were very young. My mom was so beautiful and my dad so handsome! I cried because I miss them and because they aren’t here to watch their grandchildren and great-grandchildren grow up.

For a long time I thought my tears were a curse; an uncontrollable condition inherited from my Aunt Roberta (who can also cry at a moment’s notice). Then I met someone who can’t cry and I realized that crying isn’t a curse, it’s a blessing. It’s a release of emotion and a reaction to life.

Yes, I cry at inopportune times. Yes, it’s unattractive having a red face and swollen eyes. But imagine NOT being able to cry. Imagine having a heart that aches so badly you think it will break and yet the tears won’t come.

As crazy as it might sound today I am giving thanks for tears and for a God who has promised that in heaven He will wipe my tears away!