Tears

I felt tears from my eyes this morning as I finished my meditation. There was no sadness in them. I was far too joyful to be sad. Were they tears of joy? gratitude? peace? Maybe they were just tears. For this one, it didn’t really matter: they were comforting, and that was all – warm and rounded and comforting.

Emotion is overrated. Giving a name to a feeling simply reinforces it, gives it the air of reality. Anyone who has examined these things is aware that excitement and fright share exactly the same sensations: the label is the only thing that differentiates them. Similarly, tears are by no means the sole domain of sadness, nor laughter necessarily an indication of happiness. And detachment is not emotional, so emotions come from attachment. I prefer detachment: it is far more amusing and balanced and complete than attachment. Yes, emotion is definitely overrated.

And I love laughter and tears; I love that people express themselves in the manner that feels right to them. I simply have no cause to believe the emotion they attach to their sensations has any basis in truth. Expression is interpretation, and interpretation is not necessarily true.