The Beauty in Sadness

One of my childhood buddies from St. Anthony's High School is faced with an "apparently" unpleasant situation over which he has absolutely no control. While praying for his comfort, I say "apparently", as nothing would turn out to be as bad (or as good) as we project it to be, at the time of trial (or triumph). I realize that words are mere words, and only we know how it feels when things don't look as bright as we want them to be, and no one can really share the magnitude. While I was talking to my buddy, I was reminded of the following content from the thought-proving tome The Book of Understanding: Creating Your Own Path to Freedom.

Can't you see any beauty in sadness? Meditate over it. Next time, when you are sad don't fight with it. Don't waste time in fighting - accept it, welcome it, let it be a welcome guest. Look deep into it with love, care .... be a real host! And you will be surprised - you will be surprised beyond your comprehension - sadness has a few beauties that happiness can never have. Sadness has depth, and happiness is shallow. Sadness has tears, and tears go deeper than any laughter can ever go. Sadness has a silence of its own, a melody, which happiness can never have. Happiness will have its own song but more noisy, not so silent.

I am not saying to choose sadness. I am just saying, enjoy it too. When you are happy, enjoy happiness. Swim on the surface, and sometimes dive deep into the river. It is the same river! One the surface is the play of ripples and waves, and the sun rays and the wind - it has its own beauty. Diving deep into the water has its own quality, its own adventure, its own dangers.

And don't become attached to anything. There are people who have become attached to sadness, too-...

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