TheLeaderInside.com

How often have you just let yourself give in to a good cry? When you’re feeling overwhelmed with emotion — whether it’s happy or sad emotion — have you just let the tears flow? Have you ever just let your soul hang out in the open for anyone to see?

If you ever have, then you know how good that feels.

There are so many things that can bring us to that place — parents can shed tears over their child’s accomplishments — or a first step — or birthdays — or graduations. How about when you see a long-lost friend — doesn’t that make the tears run? I admit that I get choked up at weddings and if I watch or read a good love story I can definitely lose it. Even a beautiful piece of music or a news story about somebody doing something good for someone else can get me going.

Of course, there are also those times when the emotion is sad. I know that I feel this sadness a lot lately over the turmoil in the world. I watched a story on the television last night about the effect of all this violence on the children in Irag. I felt tears of anger as well as tears of sadness. The loss of a loved one will always bring tears.

One thing I have found is that letting the emotions out rather than holding them in can truly make us feel better. As a member of the male gender, we so often feel that letting our emotions show is “not manly” — that we’ll be looked on as wimpy or soft. I’m here to say that’s just not true. Letting tears flow is just as natural as breathing. There is a certain beauty in being vulnerable enough to let our emotions show.

~~~ DBL-R