authorblog: Weekend Wandering
This week David Mcmahon invites us to write about "What Brings Tears To Our Eyes?"
Well apart from the obvious answer of onions.................
I don't like "Goodbyes" and get very tearful, especially long drawn out goodbyes! When my daughter first got married I found it hard when she used to travel a long way to visit and then I had to say goodbye all over again. It got worse when grandson number one arrived and I knew it would be several months till I saw him again. I used to have a short weep after they left and then everything would be fine. Some how or other I outgrew this habit as the time went by.
However when my son went to Japan to live and kept coming home for visits (very long spaced out ones) I found partings were very hard. This was enhanced a thousand fold when the first granddaughter was born and I knew that she would be a very different person when they next visited. I shed many tears until I got used to them leaving.
I am prone to shed tears when reading a book about sad things that I can identify with. Moving descriptions of a parting or the joy of seeing a member of the family that has been parted for years, will usually set me off! Films are the same!
Often I am reduced to tears when I see The News and suffering people, especially mothers having their children die of malnutrition or being in danger from marauders or soldiers obsessed with violence. Makes you feel so helpless.
Tears of joy are another thing that I have had happen. The first time I picked up a grandchild and touched his tiny hands and realized that there is some of my blood running through his veins. Some times something happens that really moves me. Maybe some one has been really unexpectedly kind to me or put tremendous thought into a gesture and that has reduced me to tears!
Of course funny things can reduce me to tears. Once I start laughing, there is no way of stopping. Just have to let it take its course. Its always worse when I am in the company of a giggler in an inappropriate place, where laughing would be considered very rude or offensive.
Sometimes, I've been all alone watching a comedy when I have been laughing till I cried.
I am not even mentioning things that cause major disruptions in a person's life where anybody would cry, as these are really a normal reaction to death of people or pets and other disasters that affect us all from time to time, but apart from tragedies,there are lots of things that would bring tears to my eyes.
These days, I only have to go out on a cold windy day and tears run down my face but it is nothing to do with the way I am feeling. Its just the way the eye reacts! People might think I am crying when I'm not!
20 comments:
Maggie,
I totally understand what you went through when your son when to Japan and you didn't see him for a while. I often wonder what my parents went through when I went to Tokyo (twice) and then to Poland and now Russia. I think it's always worse for the ones left behind, where everything is 'normal' but there's always something missing.
Talking of films, there's one that always gets me at the end, and that's The Color Purple - one of my favourite films in the whole world. The book is pretty darn good too.
Take care,
Peter
Oh Maggie, the bit about touching your tiny grandsons hand made me want to cry too!
When I was in my teens I used to read Wuthering Heights over and over again just so that I could cry to it!!!
Lovely post :)
More evidence that people are people. The things that bring emotions are so similar between us all.
Right after college I lived in another country for 7 months. The tears of parting with my parents were many, but the tears upon return were many more.
I loved your post. I have a tendency to cry at sad movies, commercials, etc. I also cry over very happy things like awards, parades, people winning things on tv. I always say my bladder is behind my eyes. Also, if someone is crying and it's appropriate to make them laugh I say, "The more you cry, the less you pee!"
Crying is good for you and when I left my mother to live in Germany for a year the tears were rolling.
I too can totally relate to what you say Maggie...
Living here in Brasil and so far away from my family and friends I have had so many very tearful Goodbyes!!
I just hate those Goodbyes at the airport and I start to get very upset one day before the person goes home, just thinking about the next day when we will be holding onto each other at the boarding gate crying a river of tears...
Maggie -
If the two of us got together, I'm sure there would be tears of laughter and some hilarious snorts, too. When I start laughing, I get a vicious case of the giggles :-)
Peace - D
Oh maggie, that was a wonderful post. And so many of the things that make you cry bring tears to my eyes as well.
Kindness and sadness and joy and giving...... all such a wonderful part of life and living.
I hate goodbyes too. At the moment everything makes me cry - this is not a good time hormonally!
That's really well thought out Maggie and I know what you mean. I am similar and seem sensitive to world issues which reduce me to tears. But also cry tears of joy and in the wind!
I just popped over also to let you know that you are tagged! Come see!
I so understand about when your son moved away. The day we left our youngest at university I sobbed all the way home!
Hi Maggie!
I'm back to tag you.
So tag....... you're it! Come and check it out, if you'd like.
Hi Maggie, what a wonderful post. Poetry makes me cry. I saw that drama My Boy Jack about Kipling's son who was killed in WWI, so now when I hear 'If' I just can't help the tears. It means more when you know the poignant stories behind the poems.
Such a beautiful post Maggie. I loved reading this and related to so much of what you said. I too cry at goodbyes. So very hard for me.
Thanks for this beautiful writing.
Beautifully said. I have been thinking of doing a post as David asked but you just took the words out of my mouth!
I *do* hope that you can see your grand children more often in the future....(and your children).
I hope that when my own daughter leaves the nest, that she will settle very close by. It must be very difficult to have your children living thousands of miles away...
You are a warm and sensitive person and that really comes through in this post...the world needs more like you!
p.s. One of the reasons I more or less stopped watching the news...too many tears shed over all the distasters and tragedies of this world...
I spent some time living abroad and it was hard on us, but harder still I think on my Mum, we knew that we were ok, but she could only guess until the next bit of contact. We all used to cry on parting, but also think of those happy smiles when you knew that you were going to be seeing them again, what excitement!
Yep! I think you and I cry over just about the same things except I've not noticed watery eyes from the weather -at least not yet. However, who knows -that may be the next one to add to my list too! Great post.
Peter .... Will have to look out for the film/book
Suburbia ... there is nothing like the first time you pick up a grandchild.
Louise .... yep! I think we are all similar no matter where we are from.
Nanatrish ...... I have never heard that crying helps prevent you weeing so much! Well I suppose its losing water but not very much!
The Brit . I'm glad its not just me then that gets upset at parting.
Momma ...... you're a giggler too then?
Jules ....... thanks for the great compliment.
Flowerpot ....... oh dear, these wretched hormones!
Crazy cath...... thanks for the kind remarks.
Akelamalu ....... you know what its like then!
Dottie ..... yes, poetry, definitely! And music!
Eileen ....... thanks for the lovely compliment.
Lavinia ...... many thanks for your kind comments and I sincerely hope your daughter doesn't stray too far from home. The world is much smaller now though.
Mima .... great excitement on returning!
Jeni ..... I hope your eyes don't play up as you get older!
I have an award for you at my place.
I used to cry at Eastenders. I don't now - but that's simply because I don't watch it any more!
Yes, you've guessed it. I really don't need a reason to cry. My family loves to make fun of me, when I cry over tv programmes.
My right eye, in particular, waters now in sun and cold weather. Irritating, isn't it?
Maggie May you are absolutely correct. The world is a smaller place, to be sure. Email, internet, are tremendous aids to keep us in touch. I know you shed more tears of joy, and far fewer tears of sadness, and may it ever be thus, for all of us.
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