Crying helps. A lot. It worries people to see someone crying, and yet I’d say it worries me to see people going through tough times without shedding a single tear. Because sometimes emotions can be pretty intense, nothing would soothe them more than the creation of tears.

Every time I tried to cry that night, someone had to pass by and tell me it could have been a lot worse. I know it could have been a lot worse; I’m so grateful it wasn’t. But I also know that this doesn’t make our experience any less bad. Just because someone has it worse. And I wasn’t even crying because it was bad. I don’t know why I was crying, but I so badly wished I could just be left to do it.

I thought I had to wait until I get home so I can let it all out. But then, around an hour later, we were sitting by the side of the road waiting for the ambulance, and I couldn’t keep it in anymore. I started tearing up, and my friend, noticing it, wrapped her arms around me and stayed silent. Completely silent. This, right there, was the first moment I actually felt safe since the beginning of it all. I was finally given the space to let it out, with no questions asked, and no explanations required. And I cried, a lot. My tears felt warm. The warmest I’ve ever felt down my face. And I only stopped when none of them felt like coming out anymore. It felt safe. It felt human. And for those few minutes, it actually felt okay.

Please let people cry.

Please don’t try to talk them out of it once you spot their tears.

Please don’t let that scare you so much.

They’re only tears.