I want to preface this by saying how much I hate crying. It’s messy, no one looks good doing it, and it forces you to show strong emotions in front of another human. That’s the worst part.

And I’ve cried more in this past week than I have in the past two years (ten times, if you were curious). For amazing and terrible reasons, it’s been a challenging week to say the least. But I guess it’s also been helpful.

Crying isn’t just a short burst of emotion that lasts for a few minutes. It’s a release. Allowing yourself to break down, especially in front of another person, takes a certain strength that people don’t consider. You’re allowing yourself to be truly broken and then hopefully pick up the pieces again when you’re done.

But sometimes life is particularly difficult and it seems to be one thing after the other. In times like that (the past few days for me), it’s important to remember that it’s okay to cry.

Another reason I hate crying is simply the stigma that surrounds it. Why is it frowned upon to show any intense emotion in public? It’s as if crying is some indecent act that shouldn’t be burdened on the world, but it shouldn’t be that way. I admit that I’m one of those people who doesn’t know what to do when someone cries around me, but that doesn’t mean I don’t let it happen. Why do we place such a strong value on “saving face” rather than emotional freedom?

For those people who cry at movies or puppies or any small part of everyday life, don’t feel about that. I envy you. I envy your ability to let people see who you are through your emotions and I honestly hope to be become that free in my emotions one day.

I don’t think anyone should be ashamed of being sad, angry, happy, or any other charged emotion. Life is pretty difficult sometimes. And being human can be unbearable some days, so why not cry sometimes? If shedding a few tears is what keeps us sane, then so be it.