The Purpose of Tears

Often I used to be embarrassed by how easily I could be moved to tears, until now.
A very wise man once told me that "tears are the safety valve of the heart."  Yet I don't think I really understood the magnitude of the meaning of that simple phrase at the time the words were uttered.
Now I understand.
Rather than be embarrassed by my tears, I now see them as nature's healing tool that I have at my disposal anytime the need for them appears.  They are my heart's way of purging the sorrowful emotions from my being so that they can no longer torment and twist my soul into knots.
Very recently I had the occasion to put this wisdom into practice. 
An unrealized romantic hope with so much promise met with a quick and unexpected demise and I was certain my tattered heart was going to break; the pain was surreal producing this heavy lead-like feeling in the middle of your chest that makes even trying to catch your breath difficult.  Dread washes over you like a flash flood inducing downpour threatening to drown everything in its path. With few other options, I stopped resisting the pain and allowed it to envelop me - I let the tears fall.  These weren't silent tears that fall singularly down one or two at a time; these were the mascara smeared down your face drenching the collar of your blouse as you cough and choke on your own saliva kind of tears. The fluid continues to pour out of your eyes and nose and you catch random gulps of air through your mouth in between intermittent wails and sobs. It was not a pretty cry; it was the kind where your face is contorted revealing your pain to all. Yet this cry is rarely ever seen by others; it is the one unleashed when your torment can bear no witness.  It is an ugly soul pummeling cry that brings you to your knees.  
The remnants of an ugly cry like this linger even the next day.  Your face is still red and blotchy and in the place where your blue eyes normally shine through are merely swollen slits of puffed and swollen flesh hiding bloodshot tired eyes that oddly look a little bit brighter today. It's then when you notice; now that the tears have abated your pain has dissipated.  The loss is still felt, but the intensity has been reduced like a safety valve relieves undue pressure.  
The flood waters have receded and now the clean up efforts can commence.