My dad always told us to never be afraid to cry. He said it showed that we were human. There are many different kinds of tears. Sorrow, joy, fear, anger, hurt, and love are a few. I saw him cry more than once. He wore his heart on his sleeve. I've found as I've gotten older, I cry easier and more often.

It may get rid of the pent up emotions for the "yeller", but it sure has a nasty effect on the "yellees" (recipients, in other words)!

Agree, better to figure out how to release the pent up emotions in a healthy way, like not "penting" them up in the first place, but learning to express them better.

Crier here (hand raised high) and proud of it. Give me a good book or movie and I am done. Gone. Tears and sobs. (DH thinks I am nuts). I cry at sad/appropriate times, too. Sometimes I cry at happy times. Been known to choke up at weddings. I also enjoy a good laugh.

BTW, I am almost 63 and was always "emotional" (as my dear Mom would say). Good? Bad? This is just the way I am and I embrace it.

Watching "The Green Berets" now, so I know a good cry is in the near future. LOL

A GOOD, healthy, cry relieves stress.....it also is a great coping method in times of sadness or expressing grief. I recall losing a good friend to uterine cancer a few years ago. I was traveling that day and once I locked my hotel door I let it rip. I HAD to get it out of my system. The body needs to release the emotions one is experiencing. Recently I bawled for two hours driving home from an appt....because my next ride that day was taking my beloved dog to the vet for his final minutes. I cry in private because I want to feel free of “sympathy” when all I really need is to just take care of business. Once done...I can relax ...still sad...but now better equiped to handle it. And I sleep well.

Omg, I just had a flashback!
When I was working in the hospital the tech and I were getting a patient comfortable when she said to us "Did you know George Harrison died today"? I burst into tears- so totally unprofessional for an RN but that's me.
The sweet patient loved him as well though, and was so sweet to me in my sadness.
After we left the room the tech said to me "Gee if I knew you were going to react that way I wouldn't have told you"!
Well that got us laughing but wow, was I ever caught off-guard!

I can't say I'm proud of that moment but it was what it was.

I was widowed 7 years ago and cry now more over things than I did before.

Sometimes it is better letting it all out than holding it in.

The worse thing people can say to you is... Don't cry. Do it if you need to.

HettyB

this is so me. My kids make bets as to when I'm going to start crying. Also, if I get really mad or upset, I cry and then I get madder because I can't control the crying and I cry more. For years I'd apologize because it just seemed so immature, especially at work. Now, I don't. I finally realized that this is who I am, I have no control of it. So now, I just ask for a tissue. Or, if I know I'm going into a situation that I'll probably cry, I take tissues in hand

Roman, you must be my twin....you have described it perfectly. Sometimes I cry 3 days before leaving my family on the opposite coast.

I cry easily also - one piece of advice - if you think you are going to cry do not put mascara on your bottom lashes. I would often do that going to church. I heard a long time ago the chemical composition of tears is different from the tears of sorrow/grief or those of happiness. Don't actually know if it is true but interesting idea. I agree with those that as we get older we need to recognize that is just how we are made.