Weeping John Boehner, A Sign of Strength and Understanding

Two nights ago they were at it again on O'Reilly, and they are not the only ones doing it: asking the question, why does John Boehner cry so much? Ever since he took office as Speaker of the House, he has been in the spotlight, and many of those times he is shedding tears. The media doesn't seem to understand this, so I believe it is reasonable to fill them in on some of the issues here, to explain this unique behavior.

There are many reasons why someone will weep. After a brain injury of any sort, it is not unusual for a person to have difficulty controlling their emotions. Laughing or crying can occur much more easily than with a "normal" brain, and it is usually obvious to those close to the injured person. Our speaker did play high school football. I don't know the record of his team, or how difficult his schedule was, but it is possible that he received many "hits" to the head during that experience, and lets face it, the helmets were not as effective during those days. Maybe that explains it, but I think the explanation is a bit more personal.

I have had personal experience with these issues, because I have a problem with emotion also, and Speaker Boehner mirrors what I have thought about and personally analyzed about myself for years. Chris Wallace told Bill O'Reilly the other day that when Boehner talks about his family or the American Dream, he will break into tears and they were wondering if that was a sign of "weakness." I almost can't believe the naivete in these prominent television personalities. Don't other persons have this trait? I can't be that unusual.

When I Google "weeping" I get medical explanations which include depression and dementia. I am certain the Democratic opposition to Mr. Boehner would want to elaborate on this one as a cause of his apparent need for handkerchiefs at multiple events. But from personal experience, I don't think that is close to the real reason for these minor "breakdowns."

I have had many experiences when I feel the tears coming up, and my inability to stop them because they interfere with my wishing to address a specific subject. The subjects I am dealing with can be many different topics, but essentially they deal with issues that have deep and significant ramifications relating to serious issues of life and death, love, separation, beauty, friendship, past and future, and life's struggles. I guess, it's issues that deal with the meaningful questions of life that generate deep emotions in myself and Mr. Boehner. I think we both realize the magnitude of these issues and we feel it. I guess there are those who just don't understand.

I recently retired, and when saying goodbye to my coworkers, the deep personal understanding of our years of cooperation, caring, and contribution together made it difficult to talk with them about this without tearing up. It was not a conscious realization of this while I was talking with them, but a deep feeling that arises from inside ones heart and paints the picture of the fullness  of this precious moment in life. Frankly, there are many of these "precious moments" that we all experience in our lives, and some of us just seem to feel them more deeply than others. I believe that welling up of realization of the value of the moment is what Speaker Boehner is feeling which brings forth the tears. As I see it, it can be no other way.

Mr. Boehner is from a large family with eleven children, and I am certain when he thinks about the "American Dream" he understands that he is living it. It is deeply meaningful to him, and strikes that cord of a "precious moment." Taking the gavel of government on the Speakers platform would have been one of those moments for certain. It that weakness? No way. We are fortunate to have such a sensitive human being up there speaking for the people. Will that influence the depth to which he understands his responsibility to the people? Undoubtedly. I think that is a sign of strength, and I congratulate him for his humanity.

I think it is time for the pundits to stop questioning why Our Speaker gets weepy at certain times. I think when they separate themselves from him by admitting that they do not understand why he has "so much trouble controlling his emotions" they are pointing out that they do not  have a sensitivity to the depth of meaning in the many human situations that we find ourselves as we go down the road of life. Mr. John Boehner is showing us how much he understands, and how much he cares. What a special trait to have in one of our leaders.  Aren't we fortunate and thank you Mr. Boehner.