My daughter sat worriedly on the bed, pretending to be watching Spongebob, while all the time eying me. She watched as the pile of tear soaked tissues grew larger and larger. For the longest time she watched me write and wipe, write and wipe. After a time she couldn't bear it any longer.
"Are you going to be OK?"
"I'm already OK."
"But, you are so sad. I don't like to see you like this."
"Why not?"
"You are hurting." She lowered her voice to a whisper. "I don't want you to hurt."
I smiled my most pathetic of smiles. "This is not what it looks like to be sad, this is what it looks like to heal."
"How can you tell the difference?"
"Do I look like I am comfortable with what I am doing?"
"I don't know."
"Do I look like I wish I was doing something else?"
"No."
"That is how you can tell it is healing and not just sadness and pain."
"But, I feel so bad for you when you are like this."
"Honey," I chuckled, "You should save your pity for someone who can see what I have seen and not feel this way, for I will heal and they will not."
"So, crying is not a bad thing?"
"No. Crying is the body's way of forcing us to accept and understand that which we try to hold off as unacceptable and incomprehensible. It is how we come to terms with things we don't want to come to terms with, but have to. It is a vital process for growth, truly an amazing feeling."
"Can you show me what has you so sad?"
"Sure, but you get your own box! This one is mine." We both laughed as she grabbed a box from the bathroom closet.
We cried the rest of the morning away, and it was a wonderful time.
In a list
A contest entry
- Make Me Cry by Blooming Poet.
1200 points, ended May 19, 33 entries
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest
Please tell me what you think
Comments
1 - 14 of 14
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Crying away the pain, sending it out of your soul by way of tears, and into where it belong
tissues can indeed be a person's best friend. loved this. give these three bunnies each their own tissue, so they might heal too.
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So very sad, I was almost crying for you thats how much it moved or touched me. Thanks for entering
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Beautiful write. this was very wise. I felt like I was reading the advice of a philosopher or something. The imagery and emotion in this piece is amazing. And, it's true that tears doesn't always mean that people are sad. There have been times I have cried for joy and there are times when I've not been neither happy or sad, but just something makes such a profound impact on me that the tears do shed. Anyway, great write. Keep up the great work.
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Happy and sad at the same time - and lots of wisdom. If its true you are a great father!
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It is true.
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Omg!!! The heartfelt concern as well as the love can clearly be felt in your words. I could see the image of this child with wide eyes asking these questions of her father as he explains. And the togetherness at the end is a memory that would last a lifetime. I love this write!!!
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I love your daughter parables the best of all. I will never forget your hike up the mountain to get a drink.
xxoo
dk
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Damn Allen, this makes me cry. You are truly the worlds best story teller. No think of a happy one.
I love you,
Amera
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aww
i love this, especially how clearly you paint the picture. ive never thought of tears that way before. im glad to have read this, very good work.
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Apparently....
Tears are also important to our God, for he promised to wipe them all away, personally, one day. The power of a tear. Enjoyed this rendering. Here now three bunnies now smiling and laughing after a good tear bath, and what was sad is now glad.
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oh!!! This was marvelous. I wish my daughter would share my love of poetry. But she is way past the sponge bob time and even farther past the time with mom stage. I really loved the sweetness, the tenderness, the sharing this spoke of.
great job with this,,,,now pass the kleenex. -
I sit and try and come up with words...I can only write 2 "wonderfully precious," so beautiful. Kelly
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Awwww beautiful lesson in life . Nicely done , Storm
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