Prior to college I never cried. Never. I guess I had detached myself emotionally from the world so that I wouldn't get hurt. It was tough growing up. I moved every two years, about, and so had to make friends and leave them before ever really growing close to them. So why bother feeling anything at all? (This wasn't intentional, by the way. It kinda just happened.)
Anyway, once I hit senior year in high school, I started emotionally investing myself in the world again because I had developed real friendships and I had begun to understand myself much more than before.
As soon as college hit, I started crying about everything! I don't really understand why, but if a book or movie is exceptionally inspirational, or someone says or does something particularly hurtful, I'll cry (not in front of them, of course). Recently, I went to see Toy Story 3. Having grown up watching Toy Storys 1 and 2, Toy Story 3 hit me hard. Pixar planned this movie well. The generation who grew up with Andy and Woody and Buzz is now sitting in theaters watching Andy go to college. Just like us. At the end of the movie, Andy makes the tough decision to part with all of his childhood playthings, passing them on to a little girl nearby. Watching this step into the grown-up life made me bawl. Hardcore. Tears were streaming from everyone in my generation in the theater.
Less than two days later, I read a moderately inspirational article on how to treat others. The third one, "Remember Those Who Serve," and the final one, "Giving When it Counts," almost made me cry. I had to force myself to stop to protect my pride.
What this has taught me is that children make me cry. Both of the aforementioned lessons on how to treat others involved children who did things purely and genuinely for no other reason than the kindness of their hearts.
This isn't to say I only cry for children (I cried during Prayers for Bobby, Brokeback Mountain, and Miracle. I also cried while reading Where the Red Fern Grows). It's just... I connect especially well to children.
What do you think? What makes you cry?
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