Confession: Sometimes I need a good cry. A sobbing, runny-nose, eyes-swollen, whole-box-of-tissue cry. I’m not sure why or what brings on this sudden urge. I’m never aware of this feeling approaching. It’s not like I can say to myself, “Self, I think you’ll feel like crying tomorrow so you better go buy a new pair of shoes today in hopes of warding it off.” Nope, it never happens like that. All of sudden, it just hits me and there it is – I need to cry. Not just one or two tears, but the open-the-flood-gates kind of cry.

I’m sure there is some sort of reason for this...a vitamin deficiency perhaps, stress possibly. Maybe I ate something bad, or (do I dare say it?) hormones. I may not know the cause, but I do know this: I always feel so good afterward. I feel lighter, like I just did a spring cleaning of my emotional insides. I feel relieved. I walk around the rest of the day sighing deeply – sighs of contentment. And, as an added bonus, I always sleep like a baby afterward. Shouldn’t I? I mean, if I’m going to cry like a baby I might as well sleep like one too, right?

Since I know that I’ll feel good afterward, plus get a good night’s sleep, I’ve learned not to fight it. Instead, I face this urge head on! I pick out one of my guaranteed to make-you-cry movies, plop it in the DVD player, make sure the tissue box is in reach and press play. That’s my remedy – don’t fight it, indulge it! So if you are like me and occasionally you just need a good cry, here is my go-to list of movies guaranteed to make you cry – a lot.

A Walk to Remember – Of course any movie based on a Nicholas Sparks novel is guaranteed to be a tear jerker, but this is my all-time favorite and the one that makes me cry the most.  And if you can’t get enough of Nicholas Sparks stories try The Notebook – my second favorite and gauranteed to make you cry.

Legends of the Fall – My all-time favorite Brad Pitt movie. Full of gorgeous cinematography, this prohibition-era movie has so many characters that will tug at your heart.

P.S. I Love You – This one had me crying in the first five minutes with no stopping!

The Fault in Our Stars – Even though you can see the end coming,  the chemistry of these two love birds and the fate that awaits them is irresistible.

Beaches – This tearjerker has nothing to do with romance and everything to do with friendship.