The secret lies in the chemical composition of tears. Tears are continually produced in small quantities by the tear glands, which are located on the outer side of each eye, slightly above the eye and underneath the eyelid. Tears, which are spread evenly over the front surface of the eye during blinking, clean and lubricate the eye. An important component of tears is lysozyme, a chemical that inhibits bacterial growth on the eye’s surface. Some of the tears evaporate, but the remainder are drained into the nose through the Tear Duct, keeping the nose moist. Lysozyme from the tears prevents bacterial growth in the nose as well.

Interesting Discovery
Another interesting discovery about the content of tears was made by Dr. William H. Frey II, a biochemist at the St. Paul-Ramsey Medical Center in Minnesota. He and his team analyzed two types of tears: the emotional ones (crying when emotionally upset and stressed) and the ones arising from irritants (such as crying from onions). They found that emotional tears contained more of the protein-based hormones, prolactin, adrenocorticotropic hormone, and leucine enkephalin (natural painkiller), all of which are produced by our body when under stress. It seems as if the body is getting rid of these chemicals through tears. That explains why we usually feel better after a good cry. So, there you go. Cry as much as you want. It is probably good for you. But no cheating by inducing crying with onions. Your tear glands know the difference. From Science of Tears by Anton Skorucak, MS.

Importance of Tears
In my book, Whole, Single, Free, ME! I wrote: “Walking into the hospital all alone was hard. The nurses were nice and soon they gave me a shot to help me relax. As the medicine started taking effect, tears began to flow. I could not stop the tears. The doctor told me later that I cried all the way through surgery. When I awoke, I felt better than I had felt in months. All the tension caused by the separation, layoff, worry over money, and fear of the future had disappeared in those cleansing tears. This beautiful quote I found years later sums up the importance of tears.”

Tears can be a life-giving signal for us in our lives, both individually and collectively. They can indicate that vital places within us that have become dormant are being stirred afresh. They can also be a type of washing of the inner lens. We have come to see certain things most clearly in our lives and relationships only through tears, the tears of pain and loss or the tears of delight and laughter . . . To pay attention to our tears is to hear the deepest longings of the human soul. It is to hear again the ancient yearning for well-being and harmony. From Christ of the Celts by J. Philip Newell

So cry! You will find your soul in those cleansing tears.