Tearless grief bleeds inwardly.  ~Christian Nevell Bovee

I love this quote by Bovee because it validates the need to let go of your grief – it’s ok to cry. And today, I cried and I cried hard and I cried at church, in front of people. I saw one of my friends who happens to be a prayer partner and I walked up to her and burst into tears. Then tears began to roll down her face, I didn’t even have to say a word.

Tears speak about the pain your heart feels. The hurts you have endured for so long. Tears are the voice of those past hurts. If we hold those tears in, unwilling to let them flow when they come, we stifle the voice of the pain and hurt. In essence we bury the past for another day. But it always comes back. Always.

To weep is to make less the depth of grief.  ~William Shakespeare, King Henry the Sixth

After months and months of avoiding going up after the service to have someone pray with me about how I was feeling, today I took that leap of faith. I think some part was because of the setting we were in. The new “Sanctuary” venue made it so much more contemplative. But truly it was because it was the right time. Seeing my friend there, I knew I was going to be in safe hands. She knew my story. I didn’t have to say a word.

Tears are God’s gift to us.  Our holy water.  They heal us as they flow.  ~Rita Schiano, Sweet Bitter Love, 1997, published by The Reed Edwards Company

Funny thing about tears…afterwards you feel better…like a weight has been lifted from your shoulders that you’ve been carrying a while. On the other hand, I was exhausted. Crying is like work. It takes a lot of energy to cry. The deep sorrowful crying that comes with deep and sorrowful pain. It felt good to cry, but some how I know it will happen again and again.

Heaven knows we need never be ashamed of our tears, for they are rain upon the blinding dust of earth, overlying our hard hearts.  ~Charles Dickens, Great Expectations, 1860

And you know what – it’s ok. Tears are healing. They cleanse the soul. Tears purge out the anguish. So le the waterworks begin.

Until next time

m