Crying is something I excelled at as a child. My memory is that I cried easily and often. Usually at the hands of my brother but I can’t imagine I had trouble finding other reasons as well. Then I stopped crying. When I was younger I couldn’t control the impulse when it came over me and I feel like I couldn’t wait to find that ability to stop (I think it might be the only impulse I have been successful with).
I finally cried again when a friend passed away about fifteen years ago. That opened a small leak and since then, I have cried at the deaths of people and pets… and TV shows. And I should probably add in the odd hallmark commercial or two.
My daughter is nine and I am very aware of her childhood coming to a certain close. I know she has a couple of years left of being a kid but subtle things are changing and I can sense a worldliness about her and an expanded awareness. There is no stopping the march of time so I work on embracing the feelings.
We usually watch a couple of TV shows after my kids do homework and last night we were watching an episode of Modern family and the wonderfully uncomfortable to view Phil is taking daughter Hailey to check out colleges. Hijinks ensue ending with Phil being sweet and tender about letting go of his daughter and I had tears pouring out of my eyes.
Which my children thought was the funniest thing ever. They laughed and laughed.
So what’s up with all that crying?
I was going to write the answer to this in long form but I found this video that it says it all ridiculously well.
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