Although I haven’t written about it in some time now, I have always been open on Fluther regarding just how much I cry on a regular basis. The last time I cried was this morning, because I had a bad dream. Before that, I cried a couple nights ago because my significant other and I were making wedding plans for when we move. And before that, I cried in frustration because I felt as though I could have done a better job as an instructor this past semester. All of these examples are within the past week, and they are all for wildly different reasons. I also cried to different extents: a sniffle, a trickle, a bawl.
I am very frustrated by the perception that crying is a sign of weakness. Crying is crying, just as smiling is smiling (because we don’t always smile when we are happy), and laughter is laughter (as many other users have pointed out). There are just certain methodologies of bodily expression that humans have, and they are necessary and useful to communicate those emotions, even if it is only to ourselves.
I also get frustrated when people interpret crying as a gender-specific method of expressing emotion. I have seen my father cry more often than my mother. I have seen my younger brother cry more often than my older brother. I have seen my significant other cry and they have seen me cry. I cry more than all of my family members rolled up together (unless they are crying, silently, in secret, which would make me really sad.) I have cried in public, and choked on tears in private. I have cried at work, and under my blanket. I have cried in multiple states, and in multiple states.
I am also an INFJ—very emotional, very intuitive to the emotions of others. I would never judge another human being for crying whether it is a toddler whose treasured stuffed friend has been lost or a middle aged person watching their favourite team win.