As Superstorm Sandy was battering the East Coast, I was going through some Really Bad Days, too. Nothing like losing myhome or seeing my community devastates, changed forever. But Really Bad Days nonetheless. And, I cried.

It’s odd how, in today’s society, crying is sometimes viewed as a sign of weakness.  In the presence of someone who cries, the person not crying might feel uncomfortable, inadequate, afraid.

Yet, shedding tears is one of the most powerful expressions we have – whether of joy or sorrow, elation or frustration. A “good” cry on a bad day can be freeing, cleansing, and ultimately reviving. Not easy to go through, just as a Really Bad Day is, but necessary to “come out the other side,” and be able to face the challenge at hand with clear eyes and resolve.

Sometimes, the onset of tears is also the onset of wisdom. Feeling hot, salty tears trickle down our cheeks can bring us to a clear realization of what our problem really is, and what we can do about it. Other times, flowing tears can be a stream that brings the bottled up emotions inside to the light of day outside – and reconciliation.

The gift of tears, like that of laughter, is God-sent. We benefit from them, even as we suffer. By accepting them for ourselves, we can accept them when others cry, too.

The devastation that so many are experiencing now will be accompanied by many tears. Rivers of tears. Oceans of tears. And, I pray, cleansing tears that will, one day, give way to healed hearts rejoicing in what was not taken away, what good remains, what good days are to come.

Blessings for the day,

Maureen