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Boys don't cry.

But grown men do.

When you see a grown man cry, you know that whatever caused those tears meant a lot to them. It meant enough for them to shed their egos and become something most men hate being...vulnerable. Vulnerability is usually equated with weakness, but I believe there are times when being vulnerable means that you have the strength and courage to allow people in. You're allowing people in to see the parts of you that might cause insecurities, embarrassment, or maybe they're just parts of your character that you didn't even know existed. By nature, we are creatures who aim to please...please ourselves, friends, family, society, etc...that so often we try to suppress innate qualities we possess because it doesn't fit into the mold of what we want and are trying so hard for ourselves to be. But sometimes, we gotta let that all go and just be vulnerable to pure uninhibited emotion. And seeing grown men do that is beautiful. Men cry in triumph, men cry in defeat, men cry in pain & sorrow, and men cry in love.

It's an unfortunate irony that many times it takes tragedy for us to be reminded to be thankful for all we have. It is in times of sorrow that we have those reality checks that just hit home so hard we can't help but cry. But it is also in times of grief that the power of family and friends truly shine. And although these aren't the conditions that friends like to be gathered in, these moments help define friendships and circles of friends.

Through the unfortunate events we have experienced in the past few days, I've come to realize that maybe I haven't completely healed from the pain of my grandfather's passing in June...but that's ok. There's no time limit on grief. I've also come to realize the blessings in my life I take for granted every single day like the fact that I still have a father that I am able to pick up the phone and call, but choose not to more often than not. I remembered not only the importance of, but the immense power of family...the very foundation on which we stand. And through these sad circumstances, I witnessed a close-knit circle of friends become even more tightly woven in to each other's lives. I felt compassion and love pour out of every single one of them. I saw grown men cry. And it was beautiful.