“Joy and Sorrow, Beauty and Deformity, equally pass away”
Saadi
On Joy and Sorrow
Kahlil Gibran
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.
LIVING IN THIS MOMENT 
Love this. They are inseparable and part of the same coin. Only when we are unattached to one or the other, will we find peace. 🙏
I agree Val. I finally allow both sorrow and joy equally into my life now, and there I have found deep freedom. Thank you 💕💚
Khalil Gibran is my favorite too. Thanks for posting this beautiful piece.
Thank you! His words are timeless wisdom! 💕💚
how wonderful to help
create understanding of the goodness
of sorrow, Karen.
there is so much
fuel available to create
joy these days, i’m not surprised
many are laughing through their tears.
may your day be well 🙂
Sorrow definitely has a bad reputation David. But When I allow sorrow in, and understand her wisdom, I find there is a deeper understanding of this moment and of life. Thank you 🙏🏻💕💚
Thanks for sharing this gem! So perfect, and it’s all about the balance with which we hold everything isn’t it? Thank you my dear. Wishing you joy in the balance. 💕
Yes so true! In the denial or the avoidance of Sorrow, we disconnect from valuable wisdom and the capacity to experience deep Joy. Thank you Heather 💚💕
The duality of life.
Yes! A balance indeed! Thanks Rosaliene 🙏🏻💚
This passage of The Prophet got me through one of the toughest times in my life. So grateful that I found those words to help me. ❤
They are beautiful wisdom! Glad it helped you through Eliza 💚💕
Helps me reflect on what I just wrote a couple of days ago and why.. and how Kahlil Gibran is cut from the same cloth of us all. Our hearts are so close and we all know each other through our fundamental humanity. Joy is sorrow’s counterpart 🙂
I agree Ka. It’s difficult to remember this when we are facing deep grief but it’s how we learn to find space for deep joy as well 💕💚