Happy Tears

We all cry. Some more openly than others. If you’re in my family—it’s very openly. I used to fight it as a kid, praying that the dreading boo ha-ha broo ha-ha would never befall on me like they did my mother, and her mother—and heck, probably her mother too. I would tease my mom when I was young, “Mom, stop crying! You’re such a baby!” Family prayers, speeches, just general conversations could get my mom at an oninion-esque level in no time.But as much as I may try to fight the genes by fighting back the tears, sure enough, I was blubbering like a baby just like my mom last night when I watched my best friend Kelly “graduate” from Chi Omega. It was her last chapter, or formal meeting, but it truly was the last chapter to her story in Chi Omega. We’ve had so many amazing adventures together as Big and Little, roommates, and best friends during her time at UCLA. But I am confident that as this chapter closes, another and even better chapter is beginning for Kelly—hopefully I will be a supporting character still! (Hey I’m emotional right now, so I can be cliché with my book metaphor, ok? J)But really, now that I look back on it, I don’t think it was justified to ever feel ashamed to cry or watch my mom cry on oh so many occasions. Because it means you have a heart. It only makes sense because my mom has the biggest heart I know. She loves selflessly, cares endlessly, and compassionately gives in all that she does. I would cry for joy if I could be like that in all her entirety.So for all of you who are known to shed a tear or two, or if you’re like me, once you let the damn open, there’s no stopping Hoover, be proud of it! Let yourself feel how you want to feel and don’t hold yourself back. Crying is a beautiful thing—an expression of raw emotion that shouldn’t be abated. It shouldn’t be forced, it shouldn’t be cued; it should just happen naturally. And when you get those happy bittersweet tears, like I did Monday night, it’s because you know you truly love someone and appreciate all the friendship they have offered. You cry because it means THAT much.Keep shining,The Sunny Girl, Lauren Cook