I've never figured out why another person crying makes me cry. After so many instances of people in my personal life crying for one reason or another, I've chalked it up to my sensitivity. I think that I place myself in that person's shoes and know that what they are crying about would make me cry too.
Someone made my Dad cry.
You have to know my Dad to understand how that impacts me. He's been through his share in life. Grew up in the 50's and 60's on a farm with a father who was at the least strict, at the most, terrifying. My Dad got married young, had children young and grew up with us kids. He worked his way up in his job, struggled financially to be secure later in life.
3 years ago he lost about 70 pounds in about 9 months. It became abundantly clear to everyone else that he was sick. He refused to see a doctor. Each of us, in our own way and in our own time pleaded with him to see a doctor and find out what was wrong. Finally he did. I think it was my aunt dying that made him realize how short life is. He would later tell someone that he was fearful of seeing a doctor because he thought he was dying and didn't want to hear the words. In fact he has an every day disease that it treatable with medications.
I guess I shared that because it demonstrates how stubborn and strong the man is. He's a man who doesn't show emotion easily. He gets mad, but I've only ever seen him really mad a few times in my life. He keeps his emotions in check.
But yesterday he called me. I asked him a question and he couldn't talk because he was crying. Even though there were no audible sounds, I could hear the silent sobs he was making on the other end of the phone line. It made me immediately start to cry.
I really hate to see others around me cry.
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