Joy And Sorrow

“Joy and Sorrow” by Becky Jo Minsky (a.k.a. Hull)
(copyright 2008)

Joy is a bright yellow lovebird , so small it can nestle in the palm of your hand. It’s name is ‘Precious’. Pure of heart, full of Life and Love... it flies after Sorrow whenever it can and sings an enchanting song about the Beauty of the Moment. All too soon, it disappears in a burst of brilliance like a phoenix into the sun.

Sorrow lingers and sighs “Woe is me.” She laments “If only...” and weeps inconsolably. Blinded by Grief, she stumbles along in her own private Darkness and wishes for her heart to turn to stone or freeze solid so she can no longer feel the Loss of Joy.

Grief marks us. The scars of Loving and Losing - all the scars that can be seen and the ones we carry within our heart, mind and spirit - those are merely proof that we have LIVED. Because the Pain of Loving and then Losing can be so overwhelming, it is natural to fear Losing again and thus to try to avoid Loving again and so tempting to try to numb ourselves to the point that we feel nothing at all. It is that kind of thinking that helps create a Winter of Discontent and makes the world a colder, more inhospitable place for all living creatures. If we do not feel Sorrow, we also cannot feel Joy. Do not turn away from Love because of Fear of Loss if and when Love is offered to you. Love is a special and Sacred Gift. Love is healing - for those who give it and those who receive it. Love gives us the power to do almost anything except raise the dead, and even then... Love tries.

Life is Change... yet no day is over if it makes a memory.

The memory of a past Joy is like a glimpse of sunlight on a cold, snowy winter day. As pale as the winter sun is, it is still bright enough to bring tears to our eyes and show us the Beauty that surrounds us. Even though it may be so cold, we cannot feel the warmth of the winter sunlight on our skin, it is still warm enough to melt a heart frozen by Grief.

So be gentle with yourself and learn to make Peace with your Pain. Take comfort in the possibility that Joy may find you again. But know this... Joy likes to play “Hide and Seek”. It rarely takes the same form twice. How else can it surprise us when we least expect it?

Becky Jo Minsky
October 26, 2008