Crying

It continuously amazes me the number of reasons that we cry.  I am a crier so it does not bother or make me uncomfortable to cry in front of people or have some one cry in front of me.  But still, I can't get over all the different emotions that lead to tears.  There can be tears of sympathy, pain, denial, joy, humbleness, confusion, frustration, bewilderment and and then there is the onion.  I had a student break down today after trying to talk to him about his homework habits for the last two months.  This student generally says very little, but finally broke down and didn't stop for a good twenty minutes.  He has a hard home life and let it all out today.  So while he was crying tears of frustration and loneliness and I joined him with tears of sympathy.  

Later today, another student received his first  100% on a benchmark (these are big tests) and he had joyous tears stream down his face.  Again I joined him in his triumph.  Emotions come in such a range and every single one could end in tears.  So I ask you, what was your last emotion that brought you to tears.  I hope they were tears of joy.  It is such a biological process that means so much.