On crying

I just got back from the washroom a couple of minutes ago. As I walked into a stall, I heard a sniffle from the adjacent stall. Slowly it turned into sobbing and then a violent outburst of tears that the girl (it could’ve been a lady, but she sounded young) kept trying to stifle. I felt so terrible and helpless… what does one do in situations like this? I am a strong believer of the fact that a person cries only when the pain is too great. The human heart has an immense ability to stand pain, the limit is almost astonishing. So when one is driven to tears, it is the person’s last ditch attempt at holding on to sanity.
As I stood there debating if I should call out and ask her if she was alright, I realised that each of us, at some point in time or the other, has felt lost and despondent. Would she wish for company? Would she wish to be asked? I didn’t say a word; I didn’t know how to handle it. But I was moved. It has been quite a while since I encountered anyone crying like that, as if her world was falling apart. And at a point where I feel, my world too is just a house-of-cards, I hope she’ll pick up the pieces too, as I have been doing…