A simple thought
I've been thinking about this for about a week, and in the past few days I was finally able to articulate it to a couple friends.
Richard Rohr talks about great joy and great sorrow (or Great Joy and Great Sorrow as I like to put it) as the two ways that "God tries to get a hold of us." I'll add that they are the two ways that we grow. Well, it recently occurred to me--I was in an elevator at the time--that I am equally grateful for both.
In fact, I no longer see the need to try and differentiate between the two. They're both gifts.
That's all. Feel free to comment.
If I may, the atheistic take on this is as follows: You will be dead a long time so enjoy every sandwich. Even the bad ones.
Posted by: robert | October 28, 2011 at 05:26 AM
What you bring up here fits in exactly with the widespread biblical factor-often ignored- of paradox. I drink heavily (and will do so till the end) from Huston Smith's classic "The Soul of Christianity." He points out the "obvious" that it is easy to be happy or joyful when life is easy and problem-free. But didnt Jesus say that those who mourn-a very broad concept-are FORTUNATE and thus He turned rational thinking on its head?
Posted by: Dave | October 28, 2011 at 08:56 AM
Completely agree that they're both gifts, though I still find value in differentiating. Sorrow (even Great Sorrow) is often more subtle and nuanced for me. I have to be present to it in a different way than Joy.
Posted by: Erin Wilson | October 29, 2011 at 06:55 AM