Tears of Joy

[Sophus]

Something got me contemplating "tears of joy" yesterday and I couldn't help but wonder: do they really exist? Through my own experience, it seems tears of joy are always evoked by having to part with something. Two olds friends as they meet again after all x number of years, a mother as she sends her child off to college, or watches them wed. Of there is some sense of accomplishment and happiness in such events, but what emotion is causing all the tears? An Edgar Allan Poe quote comes to mind:

"But as in ethics, evil is a consequence of good, so in fact, out of joy is sorrow born. Either the memory of past bliss is the anguish of today, or the agonies which are have their origin in the ecstasies which might have been."

[karadan]

I'd cry tears of joy if England won the world cup.

[Cecilie]

I've never cried of joy.

[Kylyssa]

I wouldn't call them tears of joy so much as tears of intense emotion.  Extremely intense emotions can sometimes make me tear up.  When taking a certain medication, before we got the dosage right, I ate a bite of asparagus and potato gratin that was so intensely delicious that I leaked tears all over my face.  Then again, I'm autistic so my reactions are no indication of what is normal.

[Thumpalumpacus]

I cried tears of joy at my son's birth.

[pinkocommie]

I cried tears of joy at my son's birth.

Me too!  My son's birth, not your son's birth.  Though I'm sure your son is quite amazing as well.  

[Sophus]

I wouldn't call them tears of joy so much as tears of intense emotion.  Extremely intense emotions can sometimes make me tear up.  When taking a certain medication, before we got the dosage right, I ate a bite of asparagus and potato gratin that was so intensely delicious that I leaked tears all over my face.  Then again, I'm autistic so my reactions are no indication of what is normal.

I suppose you're right. An overload of emotion must be what causes it. Personally, I cannot recall a time I cried for such reasons, but this does make sense.

[Thumpalumpacus]

I cried tears of joy at my son's birth.

Me too!  My son's birth, not your son's birth.  Though I'm sure your son is quite amazing as well.  

Wait, you didn't cry when my son was born?  Heathen!

[Caecilian]

Certain pieces of music can make me cry- 'Finlandia' by Sibelius, for example, always makes me cry. I'm not even Finnish btw- its just an intensely beautiful and emotional composition.

On reflection, its only classical music that does that to me. And its not that I don't like other types of music- I listen to as much rock as classical, and also sometimes jazz. Odd, really.

[TheJackel]

I cried tears of joy at my son's birth.

Me too!  My son's birth, not your son's birth.  Though I'm sure your son is quite amazing as well.  :yay:

LOL JK

[Tank]

I've never cried of joy.

You're young, plenty of time yet.

[The Black Jester]

Certain pieces of music can make me cry- 'Finlandia' by Sibelius, for example, always makes me cry. I'm not even Finnish btw- its just an intensely beautiful and emotional composition.

On reflection, its only classical music that does that to me. And its not that I don't like other types of music- I listen to as much rock as classical, and also sometimes jazz. Odd, really.

Beethoven's 9th...never fails.  Total faucet-work time.

[TheJackel]

I cried watching Braveheart..  

[Tank]

I cried watching Braveheart..  

I agree the acting was truly awful  

[Caecilian]

Braveheart???

No way. I tend to agree with Tank on that one.

Films can be moving, though. Wenders' Wings of Desire- I cried quite a bit when I saw that one.

Also theatre, Shakespeare being the prime culprit (at least for me). I have trouble reading Lear and not breaking down in tears- never mind watching it being performed. Ditto The Tempest, The Winters Tale...probably some others too.