My view: Catherine Scott

WITH the biggest wedding in years now consigned to memory, a new survey has lifted the lid on what makes us cry and why, revealing those who shed a tear at the Royal Wedding are in fact among the minority.

While I was interested in watching Kate and Wills tie the knot, I can’t say it moved me to tears – although it nearly did when I caught sight of Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie.

And I am not alone. According to nationwide research among 5,000 parents only two per cent of those polled said a wedding would bring a tear to their eye. The research, for Colief Infant Drops and UK charity Cry-Sis, concluded the most common reason for adults to cry was a death in the family (60 per cent), although one in three of us has cried within the last seven days.

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The research found that despite the image of Britons’ having a “stiff upper lip” a huge 82 per cent of women admitted to crying in secret, with more than half of men admitting the same. The shower ranked highly among secret crying places, as did the car, and toilet cubicles. I have to say that I do quite like a good cry. There is something quite cathartic about having a good old bawl at a movie or a book. And apparently crying is actually good for us.

Different research suggests it’s highly effective at healing, and that it improves the mood of 88.8 per cent of weepers, with only 8.4 per cent feeling worse. And while a weeping man used to be seen as a sign of weakness, the research concluded that a man shedding a few tears was now associated with strength and power. My husband will be glad to hear that. He cannot help but well up at the slightest emotional crisis on television – be it happy or sad. Way back when, just the sight of Grandpa Walton was likely to send him rushing for the tissues. Although I may tease him relentlessly about his over- active tear ducts, it is one of his most endearing features. He does not apologise for this show of emotion, nor should he. Even Prince Harry shed a few tears after the marriage of his brother and Kate Middleton. Although he reportedly had had a few celebratory drinks which are notorious for making one tired and emotional.

We are far too conscious of what people think about us thse days. My eight-year-old daughter has inherited her father’s quickness to tears but already feels it is a sign of weakness and tries to hide it from us. It seems such a shame that she has already become aware of how others perceive her and we try to encourage her to express her emotions. But we are living in an age where how we look and act seems to define us.

I sometimes think the world would be a better place if we all just let it go and had a good old cry and it is heartening to know that society’s attitudes are changing. Let’s hope it continues and that we never feel ashamed for showing our emotions.

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