One of the earliest human gestures is crying. This initial impulse is a reflex action. A little later, emotional tears appear, primarily linked to sadness. According to science, tears of joy are the last to be learned. Emotional crying is a capacity that some say only humans possess. And when I speak of crying, I am referring to that act by which emotions crystallize into ocular secretions. The neural dimension of the lacrimal gland is highly complex. It involves numerous elements, mechanisms, and synapses. Yet its manifestation is ineffable and absolute. In its simplicity, the inexorability of sadness is condensed. A tear is a sign emitted by our body. It is an index, but it is also a vehicle: it allows us to alleviate pain and opens the possibility for mechanisms of resilience. The tear is the manifestation of suffering, but it is also its transcendence. Crying is an act of healing. In tears, pain and beauty merge.

‍

One of the earliest human gestures is to cry. This first impulse is a reflex action. A little later come emotional tears, essentially linked to sadness. According to science, tears of joy are the last to be learned. Emotional crying is a capacity that only humans possess, some say. And when I speak of crying, I am referring to the act by which emotions crystallize into ocular secretions. The neural dimension of the lacrimal gland is highly complex. It involves many elements, mechanisms, and synapses. Yet its manifestation is ineffable and absolute. In its simplicity, the inexorability of sadness is condensed. A tear is a sign emitted by our body. It is an index, but it is also a vehicle: it allows us to ease pain and opens the possibility for mechanisms of resilience. The tear is the manifestation of suffering, but it is also its transcendence. Crying is an act of healing. In tears, pain and beauty become one.