False Step

by Victoria Helen Stone

What physical purpose did crying serve? Was there an evolutionary explanation? What weird mutation caused humans to release liquid from their eyes in response to stress? It must work, though. It must have made people healthier and able to deal with challenges more efficiently because our bodies wouldn’t bother funneling energy into a useless function.

Her daughter didn’t notice or didn’t care, and that was a blessing. Children were naturally selfish. Their selfishness protected them from noticing the rough currents of life that pulled in all directions. But they noticed the rapids. They knew when they were being sucked under.