escaping on the run

whenever i feel like things arent in place, i turn to khalil gibran
admittedly, ive been ignoring him for a little while now
it's almost like a relationship some people have with god, of which they turn to him only when things suck
for someone like me who isn't that religious, who believes more in the universe as a single entity and the flow of good and bad energy, my belief in the prophet is pretty intense
the prophet contains 26 short stories, like a little advice book on life covering topics that are relevant to most people
ive always loved how he wrote "love", because it made so much sense to me. so now, when im neither here nor there, i started reading "joy and sorrow"

*

Then a woman said, "Speak to us of Joy and Sorrow."

And he answered: Your joy is your sorrow unmasked. And the selfsame well from which your laughter rises was oftentimes filled with your tears. And how else can it be? The deeper that sorrow carves into your being, the more joy you can contain. Is not the cup that holds your wine the very cup that was burned in the potter's oven? And is not the lute that soothes your spirit the very wood that was hollowed with knives? When you are joyous, look deep into your heart and you shall find it is only that which has given you sorrow that is giving you joy. When you are sorrowful, look again in your heart, and you shall see that in truth you are weeping for that which has been your delight.

Some of you say, "Joy is greater than sorrow," and others say, "Nay, sorrow is the greater."

But I say unto you, they are inseparable. Together they come, and when one sits alone with you at your board, remember that the other is asleep upon your bed.

Verily you are suspended like scales between your sorrow and your joy. Only when you are empty are you at standstill and balanced. When the treasure-keeper lifts you to weigh his gold and his silver, needs must your joy or your sorrow rise or fall.

the prophet, khalil gibran

*
whenever i feel like everything is getting out of hand,
i turn to him, take a browse through his stories
stop at the one that makes the most sense to me at the time
i read it and everything seems to fall back into place

37 days


xL