Sadness is Beautiful.

Sadness is a good thing.


The first time I realized this was when I was sitting on my bed, crying my eyes out.
It was one of those days when cold rain dragged me down in it's icy depths and drowned me in it's barren sorrows.
And I looked in the mirror and said, my heart is broken.
and those four words, those words are the craziest words to say-
words that you never understand, until it happens to you,
and sometimes that's all there is to say, because you want to explain the chasm,
the oceans of pain,
the blood pouring out of you,
but you can't even draw a breath to scream,
and if you did, nobody would hear.
those four words, are the most terrible words,
and sometimes you'll say them, and your head begins ringing,
and silence presses around you, and you're astounded by the insignificance
or everything that ever existed, and everything that didn't.
and astounded by the pain,
that seems to be all you have.


So it was with me, sobbing until my tears ran dry and my throat was sore.
and, finally, I looked up.  And what I saw amazed me,
because sunlight was streaming through the branches of the trees above me.
In that moment, I realized that it all was beautiful.
and in pain, there was hope.
Then I realized that it all had meaning
because I was hurting, it showed that I cared.
and that was more beautiful than never caring at all.
because I hated rainy season, it showed that I wanted spring,
and that was better than never wanting at all.
Because I cried, it showed that I loved,
and that was better than never loving at all.


Then I realized that sadness is beautiful.  It connects us to life in a deeper, more binding way than happiness does.  It teaches us and challenges us.  It makes us become better people.  More understanding, more deeply rooted, more appreciative of every moment that makes you smile.


That's when I realized, it's ok to be sad.  Sadness is as much of a part of life as happiness is.  If you weren't sad when something good ends, it shows that you never appreciated that good thing in your life.


And if you never appreciate that good things in your life, that's not sad.  That's a shadow; a light that flickers and dies.  Never being satisfied with the things you have should never be confused with sadness.  Never caring about anything should not be confused with happiness.  That is the epitome of an empty shell.


The opposite of living.
In fact, it's nothing at all.