Joy and Sorrow

 

“Then a woman said, “Speak to us of Joy and Sorrow.”

And he answered:

Your joy is your sorrow unmasked.

And the selfsame well from which your laughter rises was oftentimes filled with your tears.

And how else can it be?

The deeper that sorrow carves into your being, the more joy you can contain.

Is not the cup that hold your wine the very cup that was burned in the potter’s oven?

And is not the lute that soothes your spirit, the very wood that was hollowed with knives?

When you are joyous, look deep into your heart and you shall find it is only that which has given you sorrow that is giving you joy.

When you are sorrowful look again in your heart, and you shall see that in truth you are weeping for that which has been your delight.

Some of you say, “Joy is greater than sorrow,” and others say, “Nay, sorrow is the greater.”

But I say unto you, they are inseparable.

Together they come, and when one sits alone with you at your board, remember that the other is asleep upon your bed.

Verily you are suspended like scales between your sorrow and your joy.

Only when you are empty are you at standstill and balanced.” – Khalil Gibran

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Sometimes I feel like such a mess. I have moments. Moments when the world seems to cave in around me and a feeling of sadness and fear overwhelms me. I had one of those moments today. It is these moments that causes me to remember all the baggage that I still lug around from previous lives. No, I am not speaking of reincarnation. Previous lives that I have lived before in this life. At least that is what they feel like. Almost as if they had been nothing more than bad dreams, instead of my once reality. I suppose it’s my subconscious’ way of dealing with the old wounds…. the times of disappointment and failure. It is in the deepest parts of these moments that I am once again grateful for Daniel. I truly believe he is my godsend. He envelops me in his arms when I am at my worst, when the tears will not seem to subside. When the feeling of sorrow raises it’s head and screams in my ear. But it is these brief moments that make me appreciate all the joy in my life even more. For without one I would not be able to appreciate the other.