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"What do you mean, Doc? I AM A MAN and A HEAD OF FAMILY. It's not suitable for me to cry. It's not suitable for me to shed tears. What would my children say if they knew I am crying? What would my wife say if she knew I am crying?" the man argued.

The psychologist didn't answer, but smiled instead. The man was waiting for her to speak more, but after some minutes, she kept silent. In that room, he then realized that she kept waiting for him to cry.

-two weeks before-

In a recovery team of post-disaster of an earthquake was a psychologist. What she would do there was obvious, there were so many distressed and/or depressed people because of losing family or properties, especially homes.

A man who always came for a counseling, repined that he couldn't sleep at all after the earthquake, neither on the day nor at night. And, he did that for almost two weeks after the earthquake. You can imagine how miserable he was that he couldn't sleep for two weeks.

Every time he came, he was always accompanied by his children and his beloved wife. On the third day of counselling, the psychologist asked the children and wife to go outside and wait in the lobby. Then, she said to the man, "Now please cry, mister. So your heart and mind would feel relieved," said the psychologist.

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Some more minutes passed, but only silence was there. They were waiting each other. The psychologist was waiting for the man to cry, while the man was thinking whether it was suitable to cry.

No more than an hour, the man suddenly started sobbing. It was restrained and sounded softly in the beginning, but due to the quietness of the psychologist, his weeping was getting louder. His tears were so much falling over his chin. His weeping then made a roaring noise and was loud, a sign that he was releasing his deepest sadness. Whatsoever.

After crying for a bit long, the psychologist still didn't say a word. She only put forth a box of tissue to the man so that he could wipe his tears. After the weeping was really abated, the man was ordered to go home.

Three days later, the man came back, accompanied by his wife and children. His face had been different to three days before. His face looked so radiant and he directly greeted the psychologist, "I'm so thankful to you, Doc. Now I can sleep soundly just like before the earthquake happened".

A true story, after an earthquake in Yogyakarta, Indonesia 2006. Translated and fully modified by Onee. :)

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This blog was inspired by Rosemary who posted a discussion 'When Men Cry". From the BOOK I've read, it is said that crying can release the excess hormone causes stress contained in tears. If someone gets stressed OR has a heavy burden in life AND couldn't restrain the pain inside, it is BETTER to CRY.

Now, what would you say? You may conclude yourself and decide... :)

Thank you so much for reading and being so thoughtful. Happy Friday! ^_^