People who cry over things are often portrayed as weak. This is not only wrong, but it's super wrong. Like double the wrongness. Now to preface this article, I am quite easily the world's biggest whiny baby. I complain when it's cold, I complain when it's hot. I practically call in sick to work just because I stubbed my toe on the coffee table. I am also an avid cryer. I cry when I am happy when I'm sad when I'm angry or stressed. I cry when people are nice to me or when they're mean to me. I cry when other people cry. I am literally a hot mess 97% of the time.
As a prime example, when the cubs finally won the world series this past year, they cameras panned to the player's faces and I started to ugly cry because they looked so happy. And I mean ugly cry, you know, snot running down your nose and spit bubbles coming out of your mouth. The whole works. "Jess, you're being overdramatic." You know what, maybe I am, but my little shriveled up soul can't withhold all that emotion, it has to go somewhere. And it was just so cute. All these grown ass men hugging each other cause they were so happy. Like what am I supposed to do? Just ignore them?
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Being emotional or sensitive is not something to be ashamed of. Crying because of that emotion is not a sign of weakness. It takes a lot to have empathy for others, especially when these people are just strangers. If you cry during movies or books that's even more impressive because those people don't even exist. You are mustering up empathy and sadness for people who aren't even real. Having to deal with your own life with its ups and downs is stressful enough, incorporating the wants and desires of others into your life too just shows that you are capable of great things. One of those great things probably wouldn't be a "Yo Mama" contest, mind you, but other great things.
Now don't get me wrong, if you're a stoic and you aren't one to really show emotion, especially in front of others, there's no shame in that either. But while you haven't cried since so and so's funeral five years ago, I've already cried three times just on the car ride over here, fam. I can't help it. And besides, just because you don't show emotion doesn't mean you don't feel it. You can be sensitive and refuse to let others know of your sensitivity. There are different forms of strength, and letting others know that you are human and have your own thoughts, feelings, hopes, and dreams, is its own kind of strength. Empathizing with other's pain is its own form of punishment.
Do you know who sensitive people are? Who they've always been? They're your artists, your painters, your poets, and authors. They're your painters and singers. You're sculptors and creators. How can there be anything shameful in something so wonderful?
Just remember that different people process things in a different way from you. So try not to make fun of us when we get emotional over an ASPCA commercial. Or when we get upset with you easily because you hurt our feelings when you weren't trying to. Everything is amplified with us, sweet things you do are even sweeter and mean things you do are even meaner. We're good people to have when you're trying to make a new hallmark card, not the kind of person you want to bring to a UFC fight though.
