from Kahlil Gibran's "The Prophet"


"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 the 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 into 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 into 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, sorriw 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 in the board, remember that the other is asleep on your bed.
Verily, you are suspended like scales between your sorrow and your joy.
Only when you are empty are you at a standstill and balanced.
When the treasure-keeper lifts you to weigh his gold and his silver, needs must your joy or sorrow rise or fall."




I have found this particular part of the book that I'm reading to be deeply moving and motivating, for no where else is it more apparent that the wisdom that it teaches is lacking than among my younger brethren, whose mostly shallow lives encapsulate a flawed, deluded, and myopic existence. I find that some of the self-evident truths written in The Prophet give me a much better perspective on the ways others' lives have led them. Though I mourn and sympathize with the sufferings of those beloved to me, this gives nuance and tact to my empathy, and leaves me not with an insatiable ache for justice, but a cool, surgical outlook on how to help. I highly recommend this book; you should be able to find it at a used bookstore or your local book vendor.