When I married Teresa I was determined to never make her cry. There is nothing better than to see your wife's beautiful smile and laughter...a reflection of a joyous heart.

Even though we strongly prefer to see our wives' smile, husbands who have been married for a while know all too well that it is impossible to prevent a wife's tears from shedding.

I feel the warmth and love of Teresa’s joyful tears. And there are many times I would act out foolishly to just make her laugh.

• Some tears are shed when a wife receives the perfect gift from a husband, like a diamond ring;
• There are some tears that represent so much joy, such as holding a newborn child in her arms; and
• And she will weep when you embrace her in your arms after being away for a very long time.

Conversely, a wife will also shed tears when she grieves over a loved one.

On Friday, October 31st, 2013, just a day after I felt a large lump on my left side, I was laying on a cold table at the hospital, being checked with an ultrasound to determine the size of the lump. As the technician ran the pad over my left side to examine the mass, I looked over at Teresa, who was sitting at the end of the table.

I gave her a reassuring smile.

Her eyes looked as though she had crystals in them.

She was weeping noticeably.

I called to her, but she kept looking at the screen - with a fearful look in her face. Slowly, she turned to me with tears in her eyes. That’s when I knew this was a serious matter for both us.

As a husband, seeing her cry during this situation was the hardest thing to ever witness.

ajh