Annie's Corner
Too Many Tears
By Anne O. Stout

 My 40-something friends that are now in their 50s should have warned me. When I bring up the subject to them they all say, "Yeah been there, done that."  Huh, you never mentioned it to me. 

 The phenomenon I am talking about is crying. I always did cry during a good, sad movie; isn't that what they are for? Now days I even cry when I am watching it for the third time, especially if the characters are crying.   I have always been an avid reader but now I can cry through the books as well. I even laugh out loud, or swear; quite embarrassing in the doctor's office let me tell you. 

 Comforting a friend who was crying as she is having marital troubles, and I spend my time crying with her, guess I was still comforting. 

 Everything from a death in the family, to a fight with my spouse, to my kids disobeying causes me to shed some tears these days. Frustration with bills and telemarketers can set me off. 

 The biggest problem of all is anger even causes the waterworks these days and that is not when I want them. I mean seriously, how angry do you look with tears running down your face?  The target of your anger may even feel sympathy and give you a hug while you should be fighting. (Gr-r-r-r, get away!)

 Been reading books on menopause, trying to prepare for the far away future (at least I am hoping far away) but not one mentioned this constant ability to cry, so why is life making me cry so much? How did I get like this?  How can I stop it, and should I stop it?  Maybe it is not so bad, a definite release but can be embarrassing, even maddening in some situations. 

 Well you know what they say; every cloud has a silver lining. The other day I saw an advertisement for a product to help folks with dry eye to produce more tears as dry eye can be quite uncomfortable. Never have to be using my hard earned money for this product; I seem to have tears to spare.