Not every tear comes from pain.
Field Notes
Many of us are taught to recognize tears as evidence of sadness, loss, or suffering. But tears belong to a much larger emotional vocabulary.
People cry from relief. From gratitude. From awe. From love. From finally feeling safe. From witnessing beauty. From realizing something they thought was impossible has become real.
We often assume we know what another person’s emotions mean because we recognize the expression. But the feeling behind it may be something entirely different.
The older I get, the more I wonder how often we mistake joy for grief, strength for weakness, or healing for heartbreak.