The mystery behind tears



The mystery behind tears




From the womb of any pregnant woman is a baby (boy or girl) accompanied with crying. The crying attests to the fact that the baby is alive. Babies who fail to cry immediately after birth are either beaten or a palm is rubbed at their back, thereby making them cry. Babies who are born and failed to cry even if they are alive cry within a period of 10 minutes (speculation). Apart from the sound (hoarse) that comes with crying, tears also flows.

Babies often shed tears because they want their physical and emotional needs responded to. It is generally believed that babies cry because they cannot communicate in understandable language to their parents. But why do we shed tears when we grow older and can communicate to be understood?
Similarly, older people eyes are filled with tears because of grief, frustration, physical or psychological pains- emotional reasons. Growing up in a typical traditional community, I always see older people shedding tears and crying their hearts out. Sometimes I look into their eyes and see pain, grief and regret. Naïve as I was, I said “ahh why do these people cry even though nobody has beaten them or canned by a teacher or pains or wound has been inflicted on their body?”  But growing up I have understood the mystery behind the tears.

Again, contrary to what I traditionally knew trigger tears, I came to realize that people also just sing, listen to songs and cry, people who are adjudged winners of a contest cry and finally, people see someone cry and they begin to cry. I remember at the Ghana Institute of journalism’s (GIJ) congregation, a lady was adjudged best student in the Diploma category and she responded with tears. Christiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid, Portugal) football star in the just ended Ballon d’or when pronounced the world best footballer also came to the podium with his eyes flooded with tears- tears of joy. I personally have cried upon seeing people cry and listening to emotional songs.

In my quest to satisfy and understand the mystery behind tears, I got to know (from Awake Magazine, March 2014 edition: 13) that there are three different types of tears;

Basal Tears, tears glands constantly produce this clear liquid to protect and lubricate the eyes. It also improves the eyesight. When we blink the fluid is spread over the eyes.

Reflex Tears, these tears flood our eyes when an irritating substance or particle gets into them. Reflex tears are also associated with actions as varied as yawning and laughing.

Emotional Tears, these are the “human” tears that we shed when we feel a strong emotion. They contain a 24 percent higher protein concentration than reflex tears.
Some people find tears of sadness difficult to ignore because they alert us that someone is suffering, someone is in pain grief. In response, we may try to comfort or help the one who weeps.

Some experts believe that shedding tears provides a useful outlet for our emotions and that systematic holding back tears may damage our health. Other argues that the physical or psychological benefits of crying have not been scientifically verified.

However, surveys estimate that 85 percent of women and 73 percent of men reported feeling better after crying.

One may feel much better depending on the response of his/her tears. If one tears provokes others to comfort and help us, one feels much better and relieved. However, if the response is not positive, one may feel bad and rejected.

According to the Awake Magazine, the mystery of crying remains, but shedding tears is one of the intriguing emotional responses God has given mankind.

Joshua Kweikuma Quaye

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