Today was good.
Today was fun.
Tomorrow is another one.
~Dr. Seuss
And what about when it isn’t good or fun?
And what about when it is good and fun AND also sad and bad?
This life is all of it! The First Noble Truth is “life is suffering”. That can drive optimists like me crazy because it sounds so negative! Yet there is something so profound about acceptance of life in all of its ups and downs that brings a peace inside, as well as the motivation to learn practices and ways of living that decrease suffering.
I can feel so happy in one moment, and then in a flash I can be in tears missing my son and feeling the depth of sorrow. It just happened yesterday…
What I want people to know, what I want children and young adults growing up to know, is that it’s OK when you feel that way, it’s normal, it’s part of life, we can embrace it, hold ourselves, ask for help, and learn practices to move through it.
I’d like to see more of an acceptance of sorrow along with joy so that we can be real in the world and everyone can feel OK when they’re sad and things aren’t going well.
May you all know the joy beyond sorrow, and may the sorrow open you to the depths of love, compassion, and wisdom that is right there inside the tears that you don’t even have to wipe away or hide.
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