List 9: Things That Make Me Cry

When I dropped my son off for his first ever day of preschool last week I cried a bit, but as my husband is quick to point out, I cry at pretty much anything. Below are 40 examples of things that make me cry. Some are common tearjerkers, while others are a bit quirky.  I’ve included as many links as possible so that you can cry along with me or laugh at my incredible sappiness.

SPOILER ALERT: The last ten items on the list are movies, and some of the references may be considered spoilers. If you are sensitive to such things you should stop reading at item 29.

1. The P&G “Proud Sponsor of Moms” Olympics ad: Video (1:02)
2. Some are more moved by the Sara McLachlan Pedigree adoption drive promos, but I’m a sucker for David Duchovny saying, “I know I’m a good dog.” Video (:33)
3. Julie getting her “first new car” is one of the reasons I bought a Saturn. Seriously. Video (1:02)
4. Google’s “Dear Sophie” ad. Video (1:32)
5. The Folgers ad in which Peter comes home for Christmas. If my kids grow up think that coming home and surprising me with coffee is a good Christmas gift I’ll be a very happy mom. (Unless they are rich in which case I expect them to fly me to the Hawaii.) Video (1:02)
6. This Anheuser-Busch ad supporting our troops. Video (1:00)
7. This marriage equality spot: Video (1:00)
8. And this one: Video (1:41)
9. The Carousel speech from the from the season one finale of Mad Men. Video (3:26)
10. The beautiful courtship of Ann Druyan and Carl Sagan as told by Ann in this Radio Lab segment: Audio (11:50)
11. And this other unbelievable Radio Lab love story “Finding Emilie:” Audio (20:28)
12. The Ray Bradbury short story “The Laurel and Hardy Love Affair” Full Text
13. “Go Cubs Go” after a Cubs win. (I haven’t had to cry to this one much this year.)
14. The Immaculate Reception: Video (1:02)
15. Michelle Obama’s speech at the Democratic National Convention: Video (25:04)
16. “That Arcade Fire song they used in the Where the Wild Things Are movie.” Video (2:06)
17. This All Things Considered segment about how a father and daughter bond through the song “Werewolves of London.” Transcript and Audio (7:23)
18. “Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots” by the Flaming Lips, particularly this piano only version from Sound Opinions that is most reminiscent of the piano and standing bass instrumental version that was played when I walked down the aisle at my wedding.  Audio Download (3:16)
19. “Ambulance” by TV on the Radio, our first dance song at our wedding. Video (5:43)
20. “Wonder” by Colin Meloy, which my husband put on a CD he gave to me when I was pregnant with our first child. Video (3:24)
21. “Stardust” by Nat King Cole but not just because it is a beautiful song. I was in a production of The Marriage of Bette and Boo by Christopher Durang that used all Nat King Cole songs in its sound design. This song was perfectly timed out with the sweet and sad ending of the play along with some beautiful light cues. This song always reminds me of standing in the wings during Skippy’s final speech. I cried then too. Video (3:16)
22. “I’ll Be Home for Christmas” particularly in years when I won’t be. Video (2:58)
23. “The Cat Carol,” aka the saddest Christmas song. Video (4:42)
24. A lot of the Les Miserables cast recording. I know, I know. Shut up.
25. The children’s book Guess How Much I Love You?
26. The book and movie The Little Princess.
27. Singing “You are my sunshine” to my children. “Please, don’t take my sunshine away.” Seriously, I don’t even want to think about my sunshine being taken away. Why bring it up, you stupid song?
28. “The Rainbow Connection.” Video (3:22)
29. The national anthem, particularly when a singer isn’t trying to fancy it up.
30. The “Les Marsellais” scene from Casablanca: Video (1:55)
31. Coldplay’s “Fix you” as performed in the documentary Young @ Heart. It’s particularly poignant when you know that *MAJOR SPOILER* it was supposed to be performed as a duet but the other singer died before the concert. Video (4:17)
32. The part of District 9 when the young prawn is asking his father about home.
33. In Serenity when Wash dies.
34. The beginning of the movie Up. Video (4:21)
35. The ending of the movie Toy Story 3.
36. The mere mention of the part in Monsters, Inc. when Mike gives Sulley the last piece of Boo’s door.
37. Several points in The Iron Giant.
38. Most of The March of the Penguins.
39. The end of Flashdance.
40. The end of The Natural even when I had never seen the movie. I came in the room when my husband was watching this. He told me it was going to spoil the ending. Thinking I’d have little interest in a Robert Redford baseball movie I said I didn’t care. He gave me a brief run down of the the story to that point. Near the end when the bat breaks and the bat boy gives him another I asked, “Is that the bat they made together?” The waterworks turned on immediately. That’s the sort of incredible sap I am.

Of course, most of those things are trivial. There are many far more serious things that make me cry, such as Donna’s Cancer Story by Shiela Quirke which is currently being serialized on The Huffington Post for Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. It is a hard read, but a good one. If you aren’t sure why you would want to read such a story look at Carrie Goldman’s post “Why You Should Be Reading Donna’s Cancer Story, Even Though It Hurts.” Then go read Donna’s Cancer Story. Then go hug your kids if you have any.

What makes you cry?