This has been a week of tears–all varieties and chemical compounds. In a sacred time with Spiritual Director Fran Shelton, I remembered this post from two years ago–almost to the day. Seems apropos.
Tears of grief. Tears of joy. Chemically, they are identical. And yet, there are essentially three different types of tears — basal, reflex and psychic. Basal tears lubricate, protect and hydrate the cornea. The reflex variety responds to dust, irritants and allergens. And psychic tears are triggered by our strongest emotions, designed to help us release profound sorrow, as well as overwhelming joy. I think this mysterious dual chemistry of emotional tears is a metaphor for the journey of grief.
Just as I was sitting down to write a journal entry, Linda, one of my oldest and dearest friends (in length of time, not chronology), texted me a fascinating article about tears in the Smithsonian Magazine — and a wish for me more tears of joy today. Turns out, they are the exact same thing. Since I embrace synchronicity, I clicked.
The microscopic images of all three types of tears…
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Elaine Gantz Wright 