Sometimes it sits right at the surface, a pressure behind your eyes. Other times, it’s a deep, rolling wave that builds from your chest, catching you by surprise. It’s that profoundly human, sometimes overwhelming feeling that whispers (or screams), I just want to cry.
There’s no need to push it away.
Whether you’re navigating the sharp edges of grief, the crushing weight of stress, the hollow ache of loneliness, or even the surprising tears of relief, you’ve landed in a soft place. This isn’t just a list of quotes. Think of it as a quiet room, a comforting hand on your shoulder, and a collection of words that say, “I see you. It’s okay.” These 49 i just want to cry quotes are here to meet you where you are, offering solace, validation, and the simple comfort of knowing you’re not alone in your tears.
Why It’s Okay to Want to Cry
Before we go any further, let’s get one thing straight: wanting to cry is not a sign of weakness. It’s a sign of being human. Crying is our body’s natural release valve for emotions that become too heavy to carry. It’s a biological and emotional reset, and giving yourself permission to feel it is an act of profound self-care.
- “We need never be ashamed of our tears.” – Charles Dickens, Great Expectations
- “Do not apologize for crying. Without this emotion, we are only robots.” – Elizabeth Gilbert, Eat, Pray, Love
- “People cry, not because they’re weak. It’s because they’ve been strong for too long.” – Johnny Depp
Quotes for Crying in Different Emotional States
Tears aren’t one-size-fits-all. They show up for different reasons, each one telling a unique story about our inner world. Here are quotes for whatever emotion is bringing you to the brink.
Crying from Grief and Loss
Grief is a heavy cloak, and tears are a way of letting some of its weight fall away, even if just for a moment. If you’re mourning, let these words be a companion in your sorrow. For more support, you can find dedicated quotes about grief and healing to guide you.
- “Those who do not weep, do not see.” – Victor Hugo, Les Misérables
- “Don’t be ashamed to weep; ’tis right to grieve. Tears are only water, and flowers, trees, and fruit cannot grow without water. But there must be sunlight also.” – Hello, My Love 2: First Love Deserves a Second Chance
- “Our dead are never dead to us until we have forgotten them.” – George Eliot
- “Grief sits like a weight upon my soul.” – Unknown
Crying from Stress and Overwhelm
Ever feel like a glass of water filled right to the brim, where one more drop will cause a flood? That’s overwhelm. Crying can be the release that keeps the glass from shattering. It’s a necessary emotional release when you’ve been holding it all together for too long.
- “I didn’t want my picture taken because I was going to cry. I didn’t know why I was going to cry, but I knew that if anybody spoke to me or looked at me too closely the tears would fly out of my eyes and the sobs would fly out of my throat and I’d cry for a week. I could feel the tears brimming and sloshing in me like water in a glass that is unsteady and too full.” – Unknown
- “Crying relieves pressure on the soul.” – Toba Beta
- “Tears are curious things, for like earthquakes or puppet shows, they can occur at any time, without any warning and without any good reason.” – Lemony Snicket, A Series of Unfortunate Events
- “Laugh, even when you feel too sick or too worn out or tired. Smile, even when you’re trying not to cry and the tears are blurring your vision.” – Unknown
Crying from Loneliness and Heartbreak
The ache of a broken heart or the profound sting of loneliness can be one of the most isolating human experiences. Tears, in this space, are a lament, a cry for connection, and a testament to the love that was or the connection you crave.
- “Maybe that was why she couldn’t cry, she realized, staring dry-eyed at the ceiling. Because what was the point in crying when there was no one there to comfort you?” – Paul Auster, City of Glass
- “What we want most is to be held…and told..that everything…is going to be alright.” – Unknown
- “Real life is a story, too, only much more complicated. It’s still got a beginning, a middle, and an end… Some will make you laugh, others make you cry.” – Unknown
- “I’m afraid to hope but I can’t help it, and the idea of hoping in this most hopeless of all places makes me want to cry.” – Beatrice Sparks, Go Ask Alice
- “I wish I hadn’t cried so much!” said Alice, as she swam about, trying to find her way out. “I shall be punished for it now, I suppose, by being drowned in my own tears!” – Lewis Carroll, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland
Crying from Joy and Relief
And then there are the other tears-the ones that spill over when you get good news, when a long struggle is finally over, or when you feel a sudden, breathtaking wave of gratitude. These tears are just as valid and just as cleansing.
- “Give me a moment, because I like to cry for joy. It’s so delicious, John dear, to cry for joy.” – Charles Dickens, Our Mutual Friend
- “Tears are the summer showers to the soul.” – Alfred Austin
The Power of Crying-Strength, Vulnerability, and Growth
For so long, we’ve been told to “be strong” and “hold it in.” But what if true strength lies in the courage to be vulnerable? Crying is an act of honesty. It’s you, telling yourself the truth about how you feel. And in that truth, there is immense power and potential for growth.
I remember once, after a particularly grueling week at work, I came home, closed the door, and just sobbed. It wasn’t about one specific thing, but the accumulation of everything. A friend texted, and I admitted I was a mess. They simply replied, “Good. Let it out. The ground needs rain to grow things.” It was such a simple, perfect thought. My tears weren’t a failure; they were watering the soil for whatever came next.
- “People can cry much easier than they can change.” – James Baldwin
- “Heaven knows we need never be ashamed of our tears, for they are rain upon the blinding dust of earth, overlying our hard hearts. I was better after I had cried, than before-more sorry, more aware of my own ingratitude, more gentle.” – Charles Dickens, Great Expectations
- “It is a grave injustice to a child or adult to insist that they stop crying. One can comfort a person who is crying which enables him to relax and makes further crying unnecessary…” – Stephen Chbosky, The Perks of Being a Wallflower
- “I never knew that I could cry so much, but it’s a good thing, it’s a good thing.” – Unknown
- “It’s okay to cry, it’s okay to be sad, but it’s not okay to give up.” – Unknown
- “Sometimes, a good cry is all you need to release the pain that has built up inside.” – Unknown
- “Crying is a way your eyes speak when your mouth can’t explain how broken your heart is.” – Unknown
- “The tears you cry today are the strength you’ll feel tomorrow.” – Unknown
- “Let your tears water the seeds of your future happiness.” – Steve Maraboli
- “Crying is not a sign of weakness, but a sign of life. It’s the body’s way of releasing built-up emotions.” – Unknown
- “Every tear is a testament to the love, the pain, the joy, the life you have lived.” – Unknown
- “There is a certain pleasure in weeping. Grief finds in tears both a satisfaction and a cure.” – Ovid
When You Feel Like You Can’t Cry-Understanding Emotional Blockage
Perhaps the only thing more painful than wanting to cry is wanting to cry but being unable to. Feeling numb, blocked, or emotionally frozen is a strange and frustrating kind of prison. It’s often a sign that your system is in self-preservation mode, too overwhelmed to even process the feelings. If you find yourself in this space, be gentle with yourself. You don’t have to force it. Sometimes, just acknowledging the block is the first step toward release. You might find comfort in these deep quotes for when you want to cry but can’t.
- “Maybe that was why she couldn’t cry, she realized, staring dry-eyed at the ceiling. Because what was the point in crying when there was no one there to comfort you? And what was worse, when you couldn’t even comfort yourself?” – Paul Auster, City of Glass
- “I cut myself because you wouldn’t let me cry. I cried because you wouldn’t let me speak. I spoke because you wouldn’t let me shine. I shone because I thought you loved me…” – Marissa Nadler, The Asylum for Wayward Victorian Girls
- “Sometimes you have to cry out all the tears to make room for a heart full of smiles.” – Unknown
- “The soul would have no rainbow had the eyes no tears.” – John Vance Cheney
Beyond the Tears-Healing and Moving Forward
A good cry can feel like a storm that clears the air. The sky feels brighter, the world a little quieter. The tears themselves aren’t the final destination; they are part of the journey toward healing and moving forward. After the tears have fallen, take a deep breath. Be still. Notice the quiet space they’ve created. This is where healing begins.
For a collection of words that can help you on this part of the journey, you might appreciate these deep quotes that make you cry and help you heal.
- “When pain brings you down, don’t be silly, don’t close your eyes and cry, you just might be in the best position to see the sun shine.” – Unknown
- “Put my head under my pillow, and let the quiet put things where they are supposed to be.” – Stephen Chbosky, The Perks of Being a Wallflower
- “Listen to God with a broken heart. He is not only the doctor who mends it, but also the father who wipes away the tears.” – Unknown
- “I love the Lord, for he heard my voice; he heard my cry for mercy. Because he turned his ear to me, I will call on him as long as I live.” – Holy Bible: Psalms 116:1-2 NIV
- “To weep is to make less the depth of grief.” – William Shakespeare
- “No matter how hard your heart is broken, the world doesn’t stop for your grief.” – Faraaz Kazi
- “There is a time for tears, and there is a time for laughter.” – Ecclesiastes 3:4
- “Tears are words the heart can’t express.” – Gerard Way
- “Some days you just have to cry it out, and that’s okay.” – Unknown
- “Crying is cleansing. There’s a reason for tears, happiness or sadness.” – Dionne Warwick
- “Sometimes the best way to heal is to have a good cry.” – Unknown
- “The moment you feel you have to cry, just go for it. It’s the first step to healing.” – Unknown
- “After a good cry, you can see the world more clearly.” – Unknown
- “Don’t let anyone tell you that you’re crying too much. There’s no such thing.” – Unknown
- “Your tears are a river that can carry you to a new shore.” – Unknown
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Is it healthy to want to cry?
A: Absolutely. Wanting to cry is a natural and healthy emotional response. Crying can lower stress, release toxins, and help you process difficult feelings. Suppressing the urge to cry, on the other hand, can lead to pent-up emotional and physical tension.
Q: What do you do when you feel like crying for no reason?
A: Sometimes, the urge to cry comes seemingly out of nowhere. This can be your body’s way of releasing accumulated stress or unprocessed emotions you weren’t consciously aware of. Instead of questioning it, try to allow it. Find a safe space, let the tears flow, and see how you feel afterward-often lighter and more clear-headed.
Q: Can reading quotes actually help when you feel sad?
A: Yes, for many people, reading quotes can be incredibly helpful. Quotes can put words to feelings we can’t articulate, making us feel understood and less alone. They act as a form of validation and can offer a new perspective that helps us move through the emotion.
A Final Thought on Your Tears
The next time you feel that familiar lump in your throat, I hope you remember these words. I hope you give yourself the grace to feel, to break, and to let the tears fall.
Your desire to cry is not a flaw. It is a sign that you have loved, that you have tried, that you have hoped, and that you are profoundly, beautifully, and resiliently alive. Let them be a testament to your journey.
Bookmark this page. Come back whenever you need a reminder. And please, feel free to share a quote in the comments that has brought you comfort. You never know who might need to read it.
