Do You Have to Cry?

I’m a very emotional person. I cry at those Budweiser commercials when they have the cute little puppy and the enormous Clydesdale together. A few weeks ago I went to Bryce Canyon, Utah, and when I saw the HooDoos I began to tear up. It seemed to be an emotional experience for me. The beauty was overwhelming. So I always have tissues handy where ever I go.

When my husband died, you better believe I went through boxes and boxes of tissues. However, some people don’t openly share their feelings like that.

Who says you have to cry?

Everybody experiences grief in their own unique way and in their individual timeframes. Grievers expresses their feelings and emotions differently. So there is no right or wrong way to grieve.

It’s as normal not to cry as it is to ball your eyes out. Not crying is the way you’ve probably handled all emotional feelings in your entire life. Some people are simply more emotional and they express their feelings by crying. Also, you might be the person who needs the control over yourself during this crucial time. Making arrangements is important and you need a level head. People are depending on you to make the right choices.

I’ve seen memes that say that ‘you cried because you loved’. That has me feeling a bit uneasy. It’s a generalization that just doesn’t fit everyone. Matter of fact, it makes the griever feel that something is wrong with them. They wonder why they can’t cry. This can make the grieving process more difficult.

Having to lose someone you love very much is heavy enough. Please don’t worry about the fact that you are not crying, or what other people are thinking. Once the shock is gone, and the funeral is over, you just may sit down and cry your eyes out. You just never know. You be you!

Did you not cry when someone died? Why or why not? Did someone make you feel badly about not crying? Please share your story below in the comment box. I’d love to hear from you.

Hugs, Eydie