Tony Bennett and Barbra Streisand Revive "Smile"

…and at some point, they said “Smile, what’s the use of crying?”

Well, as far as I know, there are published scientific evidences that crying is beneficial. I just never researched on them that’s why I can’t enumerate them, or at least name one. On a more personal perspective, I think that it is sound to cry every once in a while. If smiling is the yin, crying is the yang. And it is unhealthy to not have that balance.

Also, as an artist, it is important for me to feel pain, or sorrow, or despair, or any emotion for that matter that can trigger tears. I can’t speak for other “artists” but for me, it is experiences like this that keep my creative juices flowing continuously. They serve as my inspiration and guide in nourishing the “babies” I birthed.

I believe too, that allowing tears to flow gives way to re-examining of values and ultimately, self-empowerment. The more one cries, the more he questions. Then, the more lessons he will gain out of the experience.

But what happens when, the mind knows that crying is the right thing to do, but the eyes just won’t cooperate?

I need to cry. I’ve been masturbating my tears over the past 3 days. I should be crying, but nothing is happening.

--written and published on http://ryeness.multiply.com on April 9, 2007