TEARS....

Approximately 7 years ago I remember her in my arms - if only I knew it was also my last - I would of held her tight, if I knew it was the fewer times I would hear hear voice, I would of listen attentively. All is gone, a fly-by opportunity of life - regardless I thank her and family for their love and patience.

Recent happenings got the best of me and my emotions got the better of my hearts content, tears began to freely flow. Wedding thought it showed a weakness and words came to my mind (I don't know if I created this saying or if I heard it from somewhere else), and I am reminded of them everytime tears well up in my eyes: "Tears do not a man belittle - but rather a man they make." Women just seem to naturally know how to cry. Their emotions are stirred reading a book, watching a movie, grieving with a friend, experiencing the pain their children experience.
Men have a long way to go in learning, and I hesitate to use it, about their "soft side". We have been taught by our fathers that tears are a sign of weakness, "Grown men don't cry".

Instead, we should be teaching our children that tears are a sign that we have enough confidence in ourselves to be ourselves. To be able to laugh so hard that tears run down your face is to experience true joy. To be able to look up to a heavens with tears streaming down our face and say "Thank-you for forgiving me" is to understand true forgiveness. To stand at a grave side with uncontrolled tears is to say that you loved someone and you are truly going to miss them. Can a man really be complete if he suppresses the urge to shed tears, to show his soft side? You have to decide that for yourself.