Everyone needs to be wanted; everyone wants to be taken care of. Some people show it more than others, but consciously or unconsciously, people seek out attention. For example, tears are a natural response to need. The six human emotions (fear, anger, joy, sadness, disgust, surprise) are easily recognizable among humans because they need to be communicated instantly. But sadness, especially, is a need which cannot be ignored, because it springs from a need of other people.
But back to the need to be wanted: this is one of the few vital needs that people don't regularly address, but which is consistently a problem. Why don’t people show, tangibly, that they care about one another? There are so many small ways to demonstrate caring- hugs, shoulder rubs, just saying hi as you pass. There is so much love in this world, but so much of it is hidden until the break point- at which point, though still useful, it is late.
On a side note, perhaps that’s why people seek out relationships- it’s the only context in which people don’t need a reason to show they care about each other. It needn’t be, but in practical terms, it usually is. I can’t tell if that’s sad, because it’s restricted, or wonderful, because there is one area of life where people do it right.
In any case, kindness is free- so give it out freely. Anyone who’s crying could use a hug, but you don’t have to wait for tears to show you care.
