Yes, I'm doing it now as I sort through some of my mother's things. The tears just flow.

You kind of have to hold back much of the physical aspect of it...the shaking, the noice, the sobbing, etc... then all that's left is the tears...well, that and the nose running...

I don't know if it's learned or what.. but haven't you ever been in the theater or out in public and held back the noise part but still had the tears?

It depends on what I'm upset over and how uspet I am.

I can't remember sobbing in many, many years. I don't cry often, and seldom about my own "issues". I will tear up over
tv programs and animal stories. I recently lost my closest friend in "real life". I shed tears, but didn't sob. I sort of wished I could because I felt it inside of me, but, I just shed tears....but lots of them, almost every time someone mentioned him.

I don't cry anymore

I agree with socks12345 - the tears just flow. I do not cry easily - my DH cries much more than I do. My Mother passed in November and of course I cried when she was in the hospital. After that I thought I was doing o.k. and then something on tv or otherwise would remind me of her and I would have tears running down my face. It is valid human emotion and it just happens.

Hosta Pasta

Hosta, I'm sorry you lost your mom. November is not so long ago. It's a difficult loss, even though we know it's the normal way of things. If you are like me, you'll still have tears years later. How my mom would have loved to know what her grandkids are doing.

Well, I hope no one looks down on me for this but when my dad died in 1975, I had a terrible time coming to terms with it. Dad was spanish and coming from a warm climate to the Pennsylvania winters was quite an adjustment for him. The day of his funeral on January 15th, it was so cold and snowing really hard. Several times, the hearse slid to the side of the road and I was so afraid that the back door would open up and he would end up in the ditch. When the service was over and everyone was leaving I lost it completely. I hung onto the casket and cried that I couldn't leave him there in the cold and snow. It took my husband and all six of my children to get me to the car. They couldn't actually bury him until April because the ground was frozen so hard, so he was kept on ice until then. I went to his grave on Memorial day and could see the tracks of the machine they used to take him down to the burial plot and lost it all over again. Vique.

Usually starts as tears to a bawling in private...

I generally just tear up once in a while.

I have woken up with my face wet from a sad dream. Generally those dreams are related to real events.

I have sobbed in the past but those were over pretty traumatic events.

I have not cried in years. When my dad died in 1978 he was two weeks shy of his 68th b-day. He died om sisters B-day.
At he funeral I cried and sobbed .My uncle got in face and yelled at me to stop the crying.I was stunned. turned them off. From that day forward,I haven't cried. even when my mom passed. I am really po'd at this.

Believe it or not, the only time I cry is when animals get hurt in a movie. True.

The last time I cried & sobbed was when my mother-in-law died last summer. Most of the time my crying is just tears running, silent except for the sniffing & runny nose.

I forgot about the runny nose :-(

Yah, I usually am able to stop myself once I get the lump in my throat. Assuming I'm able to change my thinking and escape what ever is making me sad.

Uggg. Dead Poets Society. I saw the movie in the theater 5 times but I cried 6 times - because I knew it so well that I cried on the way to see it the 5th time.
Same with Terms of Endearment, The Notebook, Mask, Stepmom.

Actually I hate it when the character dies in the end.

I'm really not a sappy person and rarely cry, but I have a weak spot for animals and/or death.

I cried at Marley and Me..and I mean I actually sobbed. I mostly cry at sad animal stories. Cried at animal movies since I was 5 and got hysterical at a Lassie movie and my mother had to remove me.

I hardly ever cry and when I do it is silently. I hold far to much inside me.

I tear up at the silliest things....like this morning driving to work the radio station played "Convoy". They played it because this Sunday is the annual Make-A-Wish truckers convoy. There is usually over 400 tractor trailers and they raise well over 250K every year.
I was thinking about how many sacrifice their day to help make a wish come true for the children. (many truckers have children with them). Tears were flowing...I have a niece that recieved a make-a-wish donation...
I generally only sob when I try to talk through the tears. Then all 'H' breaks loose, puffy eyes, swollen lip, runny nose, followed by headache...last time was when I decided to kick the ex out of the house...

Used to be an "all-out" cryer, and actually once
it was all out and done, felt "cleaner" and somehow
better.

After losing 4 of the people closest to me, in less
than 2 years - I don't cry like that anymore. Maybe,
there are just so many of those gully washers in a
person, and I used all mine?

I don't let myself sob unless totally alone. DH is embarrassed by tears and just tells me to go to another room and get it under control. No hug or anything. Real supportive, right? The thing is, I will tear up over the silliest things (not even sad, just moved) and be a real stoic over the important ones. Makes people think I'm a cold-hearted b***h. Not true..ask those who really know me.

lindakathy, I too get more emotional about animals than people. Glad to know I am not alone!

For the past week, I have been a basket of nerves because of the while screwed up cycle stuff. Had a walking appointment at the GYN yesterday and all I did was open my mouth to say "I cannot take this anymore" and tears were everywhere! Not sobbing but I am sure the patients that saw me walk out of the exam room thought something much worse than "crazy emotions" had happened. Tears flowed basically off and one for the next hour. Was finally under control by the time I got home- looked at Eric and said hello, and the tears started again. All of you wives know how hard it is on our hubbies when we start crying and poor Eric has been putting up with is since Tuesday! Of course, I think he is afraid the sobbing, snot dripping, episode is just over the horizon but so far, I have been able to avoid that. LOL

Believe it or not, the only time I cry is when animals get hurt in a movie. True.

I so understand. The other night my friend and I went to see How To Tame A Dragon. Afterwards I mentioned on how I got teary eyed over the the cruelty to the poor dragon. She said she did too. We both laughed about how we didn't care about any of the people in the movie. We were both worried about the dragons. LOL Even the kids didn't bring out the emotions but the dragons sure did, especially the main dragon.Two grown women getting weepy over animation.

Oh I cry at anything! Kleenex commercials etc. I even went to my friends grandmother's funeral to help out her family. I didn't know this lady, she had a nice long life and I ended up sobbing the whole time!!

I definitely have the ugly Oprah cry. I can't talk if I am crying either-just comes out a jumbled mess!

Lately, I SOB with no control. Every day, few times a day. I TRY to hold it in, but it physically hurts. I try to hold it in cause I feel like I won't be able to stop.

Always over animals. Tears flow down my face and my nose runs.
I don't watch Planet Earth or others similar because of the violence with animals. The last one I saw a baby elephant got separated from his herd and mom and was wandering in the other direction all alone. I couldn't stop crying over his poor fate.

Just the other day the guy I work with at the horse barns says Puz has to go, because he's not making any money (Standardbred). I woke up in the middle of the nite and laid there thinking of him with a new (maybe not as kind) owner and the tears started. I'm sure when I go in on Monday it will be an empty stall.

Anything to do with animals, movies, or real life. From having to put one of our pets to sleep (an obvious reason to cry), and anyone performing animal cruelty.

Don't throw rocks at me please but seeing all the commercials of little kids in Africa don't move me at all. But the SPCA commercials, forget it.

That's exactly like I am. I feel sad about human tragedies but never cry like I do when animals are involved. I know that baby elephant scene, and I cried too. And forget about Sarah MacLaughlin in the SPCA ads..

I've learned to hold the waterworks. I know if I cry I'll have at least 24 hours of sinus headache -- AND a red nose!

jasdip, I am the same. I can't watch anything having to do with animals, or I will cry. Even movies with happy endings...can't do it.

I saw the Budweiser Clydesdales once, and goodness knows, they are probably the best cared for horses in America, but I embarassed myself because I couldn't stop my tears.

I remember a Dear Abby letter one time and it pretty well describes me. "Dear Abby....what is wrong with me? I would cry at the opening of a new K Mart?" Can't remember the answer...just the question.

I'm actually glad to hear that so many of you also don't cry very easily. I was beginning to think that I was becoming a very cold person. I seem to just accept sad things as an expected part of life.

I am the oldest generation on both sides of our family, and yet, none of our brothers and sisters have passed yet. I have no idea how I will react if one of them goes before I do.

I can get a real face washing over the sad ending of a movie! I wish all movies had the "Happy ever after" endings. Come to think of it, I sometimes camoflauge my sniffles by coughing a couple times before blowing my nose!

Hi springer Mom,

There's not law that says that some uncles can't be jackasses.

Cry when you feel like it.

I'm sorry that you were so abused, especially at such a vulnerable time.

I find that I get emotional and tears will flow at rather inconsequential things, that would not have caused me to have acted so in earlier years.

ole joyful

I don't cry very often but I started to cry at work on Thursday. I was speaking with two coworkers when it happened unexpectedly, and right away I walked to my desk where they had put something there to make me laugh. So in a matter of a few seconds, I cried then laughed.. then laughed some more with my friends when they teased me (playfully) about my "mood disorder". They know how to lighten the mood :)

I expect I'll cry on Monday at my SIL's funeral. I'm a "quiet" cryer.

ole joyful, I wish I could cry. My Sil died last July,whom I loved very much.We had a blast together. I did not shed one tear. I really hate my Uncle for doing this to me. He died several years ago. He was one mean man. There are many times in my life I need to cry but the tears won't flow.

Springermom,
I am stunned that your uncle was so mean.
You might try writing a letter to this Uncle. Not to ever
send and since he has passed perhaps simply put it aside
for a little while to burn later.

Writing down how he hurt you, may help you deal with this
pain. Crying makes us vulnerable and you were in the most
vulnerable spot imaginable. Your uncle was a weak and
insecure man. His anger at your show of emotion was wrong.
I was not there to say if he did this with malice. It may
be that he was unable to deal with his own grief and
attacking you was his way of coping.
There are many ways he could have handled his own angst at
this funeral. He could have walked away or remained
silent. What he did by yelling at you was that he stole
your ability to heal yourself, express yourself and let
the pain out.

Crying plays an essential role in our biology as well as
our social and cultural experiences. We can't always stop
the tears from flowing, but crying gives our bodies and
those around us a moment to pause. It is a time to either
be alone, be hugged or let those emotions out.

A famous British psychiatrist Henry Maudsley said
"The sorrow which has no vent in tears may make other
organs weep."

For those of us who have trouble letting the tears
out we must remind ourselves that it is okay to be
vulnerable and allow ourselves to have moments of emotional
expression.
Thinking of you and wishing that if the tears decide to
flow you will know that you are allowed to cry.
~boxerpups