why do cry?

[id. painter]

For over a year now I have been a cry baby.
I had a very serious spinal injury about 19 months ago. I lost the ability to paint (something I worked for 30 years to learn.) Im an Art teacher. I lost control of my legs to point walking is hard. There are many other damaged parts but that is not why I cry.
I still teach and am very happy in my life.
I have a wonderful wife , two great kids and all is well.But.
I have become a cry baby.
I cry when i see anything that makes me feel emotional. Happy or sad.
I used to believe that my emotions were in my head. I now feel that my heart is where the emotions come from.My heart has either been damaged (my entire nervouse system has been) or I cry just because life has new meaning.
It feels different now than before. When I see my daughter sleep , I want to cry, when i see old friends , I want to cry, when I see a new morning I want to cry, Songs, comercials, stories every thing makes me cry. Writting this note makes me cry.
Now dont get me wrong , Im a good old boy from the old days when men didnt cry, ever. I spent my entire life not crying. This is strange for me and it sneaks up on me when I dont expect it. I almost showed tears in front of a class of 8th graders. That really made them nervous.
Any way ,, have any of you ever gone through something like this ???
I also have an overwhelming derire to tell (yell at) everyone how inportant it is to live life and not sit back and watch it go by. What has happened and will it reside with time ? I almost feel like Ill just get weepier as I age.. What do you think. id. painter

You cry because you're a good person. Don't let life get you down :smile:
I'm there too, with two bum legs and an on going fight with colon cancer. At least I'm beating the cancer so far.

[ 10-16-2003, 10:21 AM: Message edited by: Keta ]

[id. painter]

Thanks Kata, Having someone say Im a good person made my tear up. id. p.

[Artwo]

id. painter,
Real men do cry..................

God Bless

[FM2]

Id. painter you didn’t mention if you have a relationship with Jesus Christ, do you? I’m not a psychologist but a person filled with the spirit of God and after reading your post I felt compassion for you. The details you describe that brings tears are the simple joy’s of life that is so often overlooked. I connect with you when you talk about your daughters and watching them sleep, I get teary-eyed watching them sleep because they look so peaceful and innocent but most of all they are a blessing from God and He brought them to me.

There is nothing wrong with crying, even Jesus wept when Lazarus died. You are ok and maybe this is a purging of emotions. I thinks it’s very cool you are noticing the small things around you, maybe there is so much love for these things that wasn’t noticed before your heart is now responding with an overwhelming sense of love and joy. Only you know the answers but I would like to encourage you not to look at what may be wrong but look at everything that is right! You do matter!

Blessings

[CATCH AND EAT]

Not a thing wrong with crying i.d. Real men do cry because they have compassion and allow their lives to be touched by things of beauty and peace as well as the little tragedies that come our ways. Crying is a great way to show love of your family too. I have allowed my kids to see me cry and for certain they know when I have been touched by a situation or event.

That said I have noticed that people have suffered strokes become very emotional at the drop of a hat as well as some folks that have suffered a tramatic injury. Not sure what this stuff does to the mind or emotions. Maybe it heightens our sensitivity or something.

Anyways, crying is theraputic. Don't be embarrassed at all. There are times in church I get choked up just singing a song with the rest of the congregation or when the choir or soloist sing something that speaks to me. Tears well up when I walk down the hall in my own home and look at how my children have grown. Tears well up when I look at the old geezer in the mirror too. :shocked: :grin: Just where did that young guy go.

Crying? Got no problem with it.

[FM2]

Id. I'm reading a book called "The Purpose Driven Life" by Rick Warren. On the bottom of the cover it says "what on earth am I here for". Very interesting book about discovering a purpose to life.

You mentioned your a privately spiritual person and just a short time ago I read this and it's quoted at the beginning of chapter 17.

While your relationship with Christ is personal, God never intends it to be private.

<font size="2" face="verdana,arial,helv">I found that interesting reading your post then just prior to that reading that quote.

I would highly recommend picking this book up, it's an easy read and has powerful information that can invoke awarness in area's taken for granted.

Grace and Peace

[happybrew]

I have times where this sort of thing comes and goes. But not for as long as a year. Have you told your doctor? There could be a medical reason for it, and it may be worthwhile to look into. But if there is no medical reason, I wouldn't worry about it. Sometimes tears are a gift of the Holy Spirit.

happybrew

[Chromaflage]

I have found that walking through the Refiner's Fire, we come out on the other side different people. I too well up under certain circumstances, especially when it comes to my kids. My 6th grade daughter is at outdoor school this week. I received a letter from her today that so touched my heart that i think a tear dripped on the letter while I was reading it.

I can be driving down the road, thinking about my wife and what a wonderful woman she is - again, drip drip (I don't think anyone else in this world can put up with me the way she does).

I was training one of my pups - one that will hopefully go away soon - and accidentally hurt him (not badly, but enough for him to yelp several times) - ripped me up.

I well up nearly every time I take communion.

God has given us that emotional outlet as a realease of emotion - happy, sad or otherwise. I see this as His spirit working within us - reminding us that salvation and our relationship with Him is a matter of the heart and not that of the mind.

God bless you I.D. for having the ability to cry. I used to not - until I got married, had kids and truly came to walk with Christ.

ORS

[id. painter]

Thanks, you all. I am a privately spritual person. I have never been able to listen to someone tell me how to love or have a relationship with god . But I am very deep believer in the powers above.
I have been L.D.S.. I have been a Christian a Presbitarian, a Methodist and no church made me close to god. Me and God go way back. It is inside my self and between myself and the creator.
I think it has more to do with all the joys of living that we all take for granted each day as we trudge through this life.
Keta mentioned his bought with cancer.
Someone mentioned the other day (on this board) "Ive never seen someone work so hard to have fun" as Keta. I suspect that Keta has the same LOVE OF BEING ALIVE. Work is part of the fun.Once you really look death in the eye ,working is living and living is great.
But Im confused about the tears thing. id. painter

[Jennie@ifish]

I do that, too.
It's so embarassing when I go to a parade in town and cry. My kids want to leave my side!
Something about the firetrucks, and the bands, I just lose it!
I don't think it's a sign of anything wrong, I think it's a sign of something right, that we can still be touched by things, in a very harsh, cold, world.
I don't ever want to lose that ability to cry when things touch me. You are an artist. That pretty much sums it up for me! I am a musician. Artsy/musician types are creative. I feel like those deep emotions are what enables us to create.

Jen

[id. painter]

Thanks you guys . I have always been a very sensitive person.
As a kid I could hold the tears back mostly but evry now and then the flood gates would open up and Id have a good big cry.
As i grew older and "wiser" I was better at slipping the emotions under the rug (so to speak)
and then forgetting about them. You know , You have to keep control cause you are the Dad, husband , provider , capt. ..... ect. ect.
I almost feel like , I was so wrapped up in the job, the bills , the shoping, the up keep , the news, the laws,the loans,the pets, the kids ,on and on, that i had really never stopped and looked at what was before me and behind me.Suddenly I saw my life as a most precious gift .
Maybe I cry because of what I havent done that I should have, and because of what I know I will do in the future(whats important). Does that make any sense at all.???
Maybe its just because I finally have admitted in my heart who is really in charge , and Im in complete awe of his absolute love . I am a walking mirical. The doctors didnt think they could save me . I was told by two neuro docs , that they would be happy if they could just stop me from being in a wheel chair for the rest of my life. And look at me one year later. Im good to go.
Thanks for watching out for me..... id. painter

[Grantspastor]

I.D......it's because God made us emotional beings. Society has tried to get us as men not to cry...but it's normal and not a sign of weakness. You're looking at your own mortality and that has a tendency to do a trip on people.

By the way...church never saved anyone. Church is just a gathering of (mostly) saved people. The answer is found in Jesus. My personal take on what's happening to you is that God is drawing you close to Himself. Take a hard look at Jesus. He is the one that can take you from knowing there is a higher power, to a dynamic personal relationship with God...involving the most productive and positive inner change that people ever experience. Religion is nothing...Jesus is everything. I'll pray for you

Dave

[id. painter]

Thanks Grantspastor. I think you are right . My heart has been opened up like never before.
All the walls have been brought down and Im being shown a completely new way of feeling about life and love. I am filled with more love than I ever imagined was possible. id. painter

[fishhog4u]

I agree with Artwo, "Real Men" do cry. I don't think it's anything to be ashamed of. I feel we should show our emotions and not fear what other think!!!!

[WildHawg]

Nothing to be embarrassed about ...
I just watched "Legends of the Fall", and cried at least 4 times!!!
I've always been emotional, and being a Husband and Daddy has made me even worse. It doesn't make me any less of a man, and is quite cathartic really. Should've seen me when my 15 year old Yellow Lab Lyia died--sheesh! I didn't know a man could produce so much snot!
Oh yeah...I'm 6'3, 250#'s and will kick the crap out of anybody who makes fun of me too!!!!! :tongue:

[happybrew]

Darn it! Reading this make sme want to cry! Too bad there isn't a teary emoticon!

happybrew

[id. painter]

Thanks . I am a bit embarrassed at times, when not even a 4 year old is crying and there I am all watery eyed . Life is good. id. p.

[Grnhead99353]

What a great thread! Once you receive the awareness of how great life is your emotions will open up and it is a wonderful thing. I struggled most of my adult life trying to figure out what I wanted to do. Uphappy and lonely, most of my emotion was bottled up inside and I came across as an unpleasant person. Not until God introduced me to my wife (he really did ... but that's another story) and then my daughter that I began to see how wonderful life is. I cry or get teary-eyed at all things beautiful in life. I believe when a person is aware of their emotions and they allow those emotions to surface they are then living life to it's fullest.

[ 10-20-2003, 12:07 PM: Message edited by: Grnhead99353 ]

[id. painter]

Thanks again . The comments have been helpful.
It is a real eye opener to almost die at age 44.
I think that I had spent my life making a gient stash of held back tears. Now , with a little help from the all powerful , im letting them go . It feels good . It just feels strange .
The simple things have new meaning and it great. id. painter

[DAB]

id. Painter.
Yesterday I didn't have to work so I was here on anglers Chapel reading and praying and from the very first one I read tears began to flow and didn't realy stop till I was done on Anglers Chapel, My kids call me an old softy and so does my wife, I tell them it aint so, but they remined me that I get misty eyed over so many things, and they are right I do. If I made a list it would be quite long even in the smallest of print.Like kids , wife, grand kid, poems, ECT. ECT. ECT. the list could go on and on. So I would say that it sounds like we are in the same boat, don't let no one run you down for being tender hearted.
In Christ
DAB

[DAB]

id. Painter
You are welcome.
DAB

[id. painter]

Thanks DAB. Good to hear that there are other like my self. I wont let it bug me ,,, But it still feels strange. Thanks again. id. p.