JOY AND SORROW

Kahlil Gibran tells us in the Prophet that sorrow and joy are of the same cup.
Over the years I've learned the truth of that. But like other truths, I understand it more deeply as time goes by. And so it was a few days ago that my soul said stop: stop and release the sorrow of your heart, Katheryn. And so I did for I had no choice. I cried and heaved great moans as I let the impact of
my loss surface. Not yet finished, I was filled with images of deep loss throughout the night. When I first awoke I was in fearful awe of those images. Then I began to experience a joy that was equal to my sorrow. And I knew once again, when I am given sorrow, it is my job to experience it. And from that same cup, joy will come.

Why are we given sorrow?  It is through our sorrow that we become able to feel true and deep
compassion.  Sorrow tells us we are part of the human family and as humans we have that common bond. (go and find a house where sorrow has not visited).  To look at sorrow as a punishment completely misses the mark. We are not creatures "deserving punishment". We are God's beloved!  Sorrow is there to make us more deeply and fully human.  It is there to lead us to our compassion, the cherished quality that takes us directly to soul awareness. As we become more conscious of ourselves as souls, we become more filled with Love, for soul is Love. 

Joy is divine and needs no explanation. But so is sorrow when we understand it's wondrous purpose.