The past month I’ve been crying a river since the film How to Run 100 Miles came out. I can’t watch it without tears swelling in my eyes or even dripping down my cheeks. And the film seems to have a similar effect on others too. Here are a few comments from YouTube:

I had to fight back the tears
Can’t watch you guys finish it without welling up a little myself
I have tears on my eyes
I shed a happy tear
I shed a tear of joy
Man, who is cutting those onions?!
Not gonna lie, I cried
I’m not crying, YOU’RE crying!!
Got a little trail dust in my eye
I can’t believe you made me cry at a goddamn video

Multiple friends have confessed that, “between you and me, I got a tear in my eye.” Well, between the entire world and me, I cry all the fucking time, and I think you should too!

Crying can be defined as anything from a moistening of the eyes to a full-on sobbing of the face. There are many theories about why we cry. I support the theory that we cry for connection. But as our world becomes more digitally connected than ever, we are losing the human connections that matter most.

I’m not tough because I finished a 100-mile race. I’m tough because I shed a tear of connection when I talk to a parent struggling with her child’s dyslexia. I’m tough because I shed a tear of wonder as I watched an elephant and her calf cross the African savannah. I’m tough because I shed a tear of gratitude as I thanked volunteers for working tirelessly in a political campaign. And I’m tough because I shed a tear of joy when I tell my girlfriend that she’s incredible.

The world’s foremost expert on crying Ad Vingerhoets said it best: “We cry because we need other people.” The next time you find yourself fighting back tears, embrace them. Your tears are building our connections – and the world’s beauty is in our connections.