On Crying

August 21, 2016 by Ray Morgan

On crying

Last week I wrote about how much I cry during the Olympics. And guys, I really do. In fact, I cry at the TV all the time. There used to be a Give Blood advert that made me well up so much that when the music from it came on Classic FM, I'd start crying again. There are adverts on at the moment for Macmillan Cancer Care and the Paralympics that also make me seriously blub.

In short, it doesn't take a lot to get me bawling. It could be something really sad in the news, or it could be something really heartwarming and lovely. Given how much black liquid eyeliner I wear every day, it can be a risky game.

There is something cathartic about having a good cry. You often feel better afterwards. My lady friends will agree with me that there are certain times of the month when you're more likely to weep at the sight of a sweet old person than others. More likely to well up at the ending of a Nora Ephron movie, or when one of your favourite soap characters dies (cough, KYLIE PLATT, cough). But to be honest, I'm on the edge all the time. Most things can get me going.

On Saturday I went to see The Railway Children with my mum and sister at King's Cross Station. Firstly, I must say, us three are all the bloody same with crying. We are the people who went to see Christmas carols performed by an orchestra at the Royal Albert Hall, and the moment the strings came in for the FIRST carol of the evening, we all looked at each other and burst into tears. It's clearly where I get it from. Now, the Railway Children is a classic weep-worthy film. Agutter. Red petticoats. Daddy, my Daddy etc. So going to the play, I knew it was coming! But when I teared up, I couldn't look at my mum and sister, because I knew I'd lose it. I'd see their big glossy eyes and break down big time. So I was all "hmm, that far end of the stage looks interesting" while I tried to blink back tears and swallow the lump in my throat. As we were leaving my mum thickly said "Does it look like I've been crying?" Yep Mum, I thought, we all do. But I said "Nahhh" and we went for cocktails. Basically, we're ridiculous.

I thought that was my catharsis over for the weekend but no! My partner Jo and I went to see Finding Dory and I blubbed all over again. Damn that beautiful, emotive, took-ten-years-of-hard-slog-and-labour Pixar animation! I had big fat tears rolling down my cheeks at a child's film where the other people (children) in the cinema just sat and watched it nicely. There was a moment where I thought they would all be able to see my glistening face and think "what a tool". Hopefully they all cried too, which I'm guessing is why cinemas are so dark inside. Yes.

I'll be catching up on the Olympic closing ceremony this week and watching the highlights and crying all over again. But you know what? Sometimes it's great to have a bloody big cry. I'm sure people in LA pay to go to crying therapy classes but really, all they need to do is watch something stirring on TV. Or go to see Finding Dory. That's me all cried out now until the Paralympics starts in September. Oh, god... I'd better get the tissues ready. Overactive tearducts, stay strong.

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