Yesterday my co-worker Ash and I spoke at Champlin Park High School. (If you’re from CPHS, thanks for joining us again today on mysilentscream!)

As we talked about self-esteem I told a story of a particularly painful dating heartbreak.

After the breakup, all night long that night I played Meat Loaf’s album Bat Out Of Hell. In particular, I played “For Crying Out Loud“ over, and over, and over again.

And crying I did. At the time I couldn’t help myself. What I didn’t know at the time is how beneficial crying can be.

PsychCentral’s Therese J. Borchard wrote, 7 Good Reasons to Cry: The Healing Property of Tears, to encourage us to free ourselves from the messages that we listened to that limit our tears.

1. Tears help us see.
2. Tears kill bacteria.
3. Tears remove toxins.
4. Crying can elevate mood.
5. Crying lowers stress.
6. Tears build community.
7. Tears release feelings.

In your heartbreak don’t limit your tears. 

After all, even Jesus Christ cried.  If the God of the universe can cry, I think we can cry too.