Script:

Hiya

I’m a cryer.

Now allow me to explain. 

You see too often, tears are tainted with shame. 

We stifle them, in vain, but we’ve got it all wrong:

Because tears have been here to help us all along.

Not just to moisturise your eyes and keep them clear -

We’re talking about those emotional tears.

These we cannot oversimplify.

These, we create in response to emotional stimuli. 

These ones signify feelings overflowing.

Something needing dealing with, sometimes without us knowing -

Could be pain, sadness, stress,

Anger, hate, helplessness.

Or relief, joy, or love. 

Or any medley of the above.

And your body reacts

And your heart starts to race

And you’re forced to fully concentrate on this time and place.

As we cry - we’re reloading. We’re coping.

Releasing endorphins, restocking oxytocin, 

Your throat muscles hold themselves open:

A lump would be what you’re perceiving

When really -

Your body stops you swallowing - to keep you breathing.

A built-in procedure to keep you from harm.

Crying is progress; a passage to calm.

Also… crying plays a social role.

Those emotional tears contain more protein, so,

They are bigger and thicker so they slowly roll 

Down your cheeks for more chance of achieving their goal:

To be noticed. Your body’s own protest,

An appeal to the people that are closest 

A cry for help, yes, but not out of weakness.

It’s the way we evolved, it’s our human uniqueness.

We are social creatures.

So then, why do we try not to cry?

It’s only been fairly recent

That tears have been deemed indecent.

Especially for men. When way back when,

Male tears were expected, and frequent.

See - Ancient Greek heroes grieved with vigour.

Tears always figured when their gods pulled the trigger.

It used to be ‘manly’ to show your emotion.

For mediaeval monks it displayed their devotion…

The wheels are in motion, now let’s get to grips

With residual Victorian shame and stiff upper lips.

In the name of progress, distractions were penalised.

Natural human actions, discouraged and demonised.

But, crying is a legitimate bodily reflex

Like laughing and sneezing; not some kind of defect.

We evolved to do it because it is useful.

Not a futile refusal to face the truth, not proof

Of inaction. Not overreaction.

Not melodramatic, indulgent distraction.

And not reserved 

For little girls.

So what I’m saying is:

God knows, there’s plenty to cry about.

Don’t add to the pressure by blocking it out.

When you feel your lips start to tremble, embrace it.

If you let yourself feel what you feel, you can face it.

It’s brave to embrace it. So let it all out.

It’s not what stops you being strong - it’s what strength is all about.