Do you think it is a sign of weakness?

[sheddie]

To cry I mean. I get emotional about all kinds of things, it can be something beautiful or even the news. Do you think men are weak if they cry? i think men these days are not afraid to show their feelings as much as they used to especially in our parents/grandparents days. Just look at the X factor for instance!!

[Oola]

Not at all... often I will cry as a way to relieve stress or tension, and I always feel at least better or less tense afterwards. I'm very emotional, I cry at things like Neighbours, when babies are born on TV, anything sad and animal related has me in floods!

I've only ever seen Rich cry twice - once at my grandfather's funeral and when our cat died earlier this year. On the other hand I openly cry a few times a month, usually because I've got myself wound up about something silly. But I don't see it as a weakness, it's just an open response to a situation.

[sheddie]

Glad it's not just me and OH he cried for days when we lost our yorkie and it is like losing a member of the family.Do you think people think we over react to losing our pets?

[sunflower]

I think it is healthy to cry and admit to yourself why you are crying, otherwise, emotions get pent up and can become something more sinister.

[eleanor2]

i never used to cry much.i was bought up to be tough.i hated anyone seeing me cry. now i am older prob the menopause too.i find i cry very easy.when the nspcc advert comes on my hubby will say "dont watch it" tears start.i sent of years ago to pay the £2 a month.i have just had a letter to put it up to £3.which i did straight away.this does help me a bit cus i know i am doing my bit to help.my hubby never cries at home.about three times in 28 years.yet at church when he is praying for people he sometimes starts to struggle back tears i sit next to him and quietly pass him a tissue.(which i always have in my bag).

[Crocus]

Morning everybody! I think cry is a wonderful way of 'letting go' of emotions like heartache, even happiness. Or when one notices someting so beautiful that it makes you cry. The first time we visited the UK, I did quite a lot of 'research' into places to see, etc. This particular morning we drove into a village and the next momen,t when I looked to the left, I noticed the beautiful Arlington Row in Bibury! I just started to cry! To me it's just this beautiful ancient building with so much character and presence. I couldn't help crying. I had a long list of what we wanted to see, and that morning I kind of forgot that Arlington Row is in Bibury and didn't realise when we drove into the village that that's what we're going to see! Arlington Row has a very special place in our hearts and Bibury as well. It can still make me cry and we always try to go there every time.

I don't see anything wrong with men who do cry. How else must they get rid of their emotions? It think it can help a lot with stress if only they will allow themselves to cry once in a while.

[Ivy]

Totally agree with you. I think there's nothing wrong with tears. (if it would be why did we have them?)I don't think men who cry are weak. When our dog went missing my son was trembeling and trying to fight back his tears. I felt so sorry for him. He cried eventually and felt better. (dog turned up again and was told off and hugged at the same time by the two of us, don't know what she made of that....)

[Katelb]

I don't seeanything wrong with tears either be they from male or female.Anything beautiful can reduce me to tears as can music,or anything traumatic animalwise. At the time, I seem to detach myself from whatever may cause the tears,as when I had to have our last dog put to sleep,he was so sick,it would have been cruel to try and keep him alive but when I got outside the vets and it hit home that he was not on the end of his lead,the tears started and so with my husband when I got home and told him.
Weddings get to me as well ,but I guess that is classic! my daughter only just managed to hold it together while saying her vows.
I think it is the right thing to give way to tears sometimes,so never be ashamed of it. Kate

[eleanor2]

i was worried about you finding us.lovely you have joined us.x

[Katelb]

Thank you eleanor,actually it was in a strange way that it happened.I read an article in the 'You' magazine from the Mail on Sunday which I thought might interest dinger so I put a FAO post on CL general and for once it wasn't hijacked! dinger --bless her-- picked it up and emailed me (she had my address from Mandy's Fairies order) and so I found all my friends again.Thanks too to Oola for everything.She's a star.

[jazzactivist]

Hi! again katelb, I like to have a good cry fairly frequently, and sometimes out of frustration. I like to think that I am quite good at controlling my emotions, but I am soft-heaterted about animals. Even remembering back to animals that I had as a child can make me cry, and I always have a bit of a cry on the rare occasions when I run over an animal. This morning was one - I ran over a weasel that scampered into the road on my way to work. I did my best to avoid it without endangering oher traffic, but just couldn't.

[Crocus]

Sheddie, about what you've said on losing pets and cry for them, we cried over our little Maltese we lost about 10 years ago and before her, over our Bull Terrier as well when we had to have him put to sleep because of cancer. They become your kids and mould into the household. The Maltese we have now, is also getting old. It'll be tears all over again when she dies.

[Crocus]

Hi Jazz, sorry to hear about this morning what happened on your way to work! It's so sad when something like this happens, but as you've said, one can't always avoid an animal while driving.