Are you game for a good cry?

Writing about PV Sindhu's reaction soon after losing to Carolina Marin in the final match at the Olympics, one journalist the other day showered encomiums on her. He said,"Sindhu was magnanimous in defeat. When Carolina Marin was lying on the court sobbing after winning gold, Sindhu quietly helped the Spaniard up and hugged her." It is true Sindhu richly deserved the encomiums as she was stunningly dignified even in defeat. “A mermaid has no tears,” said someone.

Soon after the defeat, Sindhu too sat in the court for a while like a mermaid staring at the crying Carolina Marin and even on the podium standing tall, she was calm and shining. But all her gestures on that occasion were meant to say that “Sometimes you have to smile and act like everything is okay, hold back the tears and walk away.” Yes Sindhu walked away and once back in her hotel room she too must have cried out to her heart's content like Marin.

But why did Marin sob inconsolably on that happy occasion of biting the gold? It is true she is not alone in that “happy crying event.” As at the London Olympics, in Rio also about a dozen men and women Olympians were seen crying after winning and their pictures have gone viral these days. After winning the gold in the 48kg weightlifting event in Rio, Sopita Tanasan could hardly hold back her tears. So were Emese Szasz of Hungary, American swimmers Michael Phelps, and Ryan Held and many more. Win or lose, these sports events have become increasingly emotional!

It is quite natural to cry when we suffer loss or pain. On occasions like death, or bidding adieu, we do not mind even sobbing in the public. When the pyre of Sanjai Gandhi was lit, Indira Gandhi, the mother, broke into tears, notwithstanding her post! But Rajeev Gandhi, the then PM, held back his tears and kept looking at the burning pyre of Indira Gandhi! In some counties people do not cry in public and they feel that crying in public is an undignified and shameful act.

Some time ago some American scientists studied about the way our women wail and beat their chests while crying in times of great tragedies. Again people often break down while watching potboiler movies. I still remember hundreds of people and women in particular in every show sobbing in the theatres watching Telugu films like 'Raktha Sambandham ' and 'Mannusulu Maarali.’ One evening my father, aged 55, returned home with swollen eyes after viewing his favourite film ANR-starer 'Devadas ' But why do we shed 'tears of joy'? Doctors and scientists have done research and come out with some interesting insights into our propensity for crying. In fact some doctors recommend occasional crying for health reasons.

We, according to them, produce 10 ounces of tears every day and about 30 gallons of this lacrimal liquid in a year. Crying is one of many exocrine processes of our body, biochemists say. They may be basal tears, reflex tears and emotional tears and they purge negative energy and allow positive energy. Some of the advantages of having a good cry are: Release of toxins and stress causing chemicals; Killing of bacteria; Improvement of vision.

According to Dr William Frey of Minneapolis, emotional tears contain stress-enhancing chemicals which get excreted from the body through crying. Dr Judith Orloff, an American psychiatrist, says "Tears are your body's release valve for stress, sadness, grief, anxiety and frustration." Perhaps that is why players break down and cry out which releases their pent-up stress and brings out 'emotional equilibrium.’ As our Telugu writer Atreya says, "Laugh or cry, tears roll." Another Telugu poet felt sad, saying that, “This world does not allow me to cry to my heart's content.” So cry, weep, sob, wail, whimper, burst into tears often and become healthy. (Writer is a retired lecturer, Badvel, AP)