Tears Heal the Soul

“Tears heal the soul.”

— Cory, age seven

cory's

Wise words from a little boy.

Crying is not a sign of weakness. It is one of the most natural human responses to grief.

When we lose someone, or something, we love—or when our hearts are heavy with sorrow—the emotional pain can feel just as intense as a physical injury. Sometimes it hurts even more.

Our bodies understand something our minds often resist: tears are a natural part of healing.

Science actually supports what Cory knew instinctively.

Emotional tears release stress hormones and trigger the body’s natural calming mechanisms. In other words, crying helps restore balance. It is the body’s way of saying, ‘you’ve been holding too much inside. Let some of it go.’

I have always been someone who cries easily. I cry at weddings because I’m so happy for the couple starting their life together. I cry during sad scenes in movies or television shows.

Sometimes I cry simply because a moment or a sunset is beautiful.

And after experiencing deep loss in my own life, I’ve learned something important: bottling up emotions doesn’t make grief disappear. It only buries it deeper where it continues to ache.

Tears are a release.

If you’re feeling sad, lonely, or simply out of sorts, your heart may just need a moment to let those emotions flow. And if you’re afraid that once you start crying you won’t be able to stop, here’s a little trick I sometimes use—watch a good movie.

A movie can open the emotional door just enough to allow those tears to come safely.

My personal “go-to” cry movie is Me Before You. I also love Sweet Home Alabama—it gives you laughter and tears in the same sitting.

And if you want to completely surrender to emotion, A Dog’s Life will do the trick.

Other tear-jerkers people often recommend include Spoiler Alert, A Jazzman’s Blues, Titanic, and Atonement.

So, if you feel the weight of grief pressing on your heart, give yourself permission to cry.

Grab a box of tissues. Watch a movie. Let the tears come.

Your soul just might need the wash.

And as Cory so wisely said… Tears heal the soul.

Be Well,

Shirley