Joy and Sorrow

[kimblanchard]

At our local high school graduation this past weekend the class valedictorian spoke so beautifully of her experience to find an inspired topic for her speech. She waited until the topic came to her. While playing in a symphony in the city (she is a very talented musician!) the conductor began to explain the meaning behind the fourth movement of Gustav Mahler's 3rd Symphony...she explained the message to us-that "life is filled with joy and suffering. Although the suffering may be excruciating at times, joy is not possible without suffering, and the joy always outweighs the suffering in its effects...happiness is relative---it does not exist without sorrow."

I often struggle with this very idea, why do our loved ones suffer, but as I and many of us have experienced, our joys are found now in places that we took for granted and often overlooked before cancer entered our lives.

Pretty "heady" stuff for a high school senior (coming from a family where her dad is a holocaust and has suffered greatly with illness the last few years). And I thought I knew it all!!

Hoping we all find joy and happiness among the sorrows.

[Guest bean_si (Not Active)]

How beautiful. Thanks for the post.

Cat