JOY AND SORROW

The last few days have been especially hard for me, and then I remembered this verse, sent to me not too long ago by my dearest friend.

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 holds 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.

When the treasure-keeper lifts you
to weigh his gold and his silver,
needs must your joy or your sorrow
rise or fall.

- Kahlil Gibran