One of the greatest gifts
is the ability to cry. It may not seem like it to many, but I consider it to be
a truth.
An old Jewish fable, roughly
paraphrased, as Adam and Eve were leaving the Garden of Eden, God had them wait
for moment. God wanted to give them a gift. The gift God gave them was a tear. The
gift of a tear for Adam and Eve was to cope with the loss of their intimate
relationship with God and for the arduous life that awaited them.
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| Artwork by David E. Gonzales |
I find it amazing one
gift can convey extreme emotions on opposite ends of the spectrum. The depths
of grief may be brought about by the loss of a loved one; the joys may be
brought about by a marriage or a birth. Tears, they help us to endure the
deepest pain of grief and experience the highs of our greatest joys! Crying
brings about a tremendous release in mind and body, one that is uninhibited to
social scrutiny.
Tears have been said to
cleanse the soul. I believe this is true. Tears help the mind release the pain
of an event. No, they’re not a cure, but certainly they are an assistance to
the mind and body. On the joyful side, tears help us to enjoy an event to the
maximum extent. Tears are the one gift, the one emotion, which brings our
humanity out. They allow us to be ourselves in an extreme manner.
Tears are not in
themselves painful, they do, however, allow us to bring out an intensity of
pain beyond our normal experience. Tears are not pleasure, but in much the same
manner as pain, tears allow us to bring out the full intensity our of joy.
Tears, so simple, so
basic, so necessary, so extraordinary!
May all your tears be
brought to your eyes through joyous celebration –
by David E. Gonzales
