Creating Recovery

There is sacredness in tears. They are not the mark of weakness, but of power…

~Washington Irving

An ocean of emotion, and not one tear.

When was the last time you felt intensely angry, sad, afraid, or overjoyed?

How many tears did you shed? Any at all?

The mere thought of expressing our deepest feelings is enough to shut some of us down. We’ve been taught to put on a brave front. Don’t cry. To hold our emotions in check. That’s not nice. To be in control. If I start, I’ll never stop.

While it is important to be reasonable, it’s also important not to pretend you don’t feel. You are an emotional being, biologically designed to express yourself. When you withhold, stuff, block—you deny yourself opportunities to release intense feelings. This can be harmful not only to your emotional health but to your body.

Let those tears flow. If privacy is a prime concern, go to a place where you can be alone. If the feelings have subsided by the time you get there (which can happen if you’re well-practiced in blocking), try prompting them with music, scents, or images that remind you of the experience. Then give yourself permission to let go.

I honor all my feelings. They are fluid. Their intensity is temporary. And, for my own good, they must be acknowledged and released.