Pain and Joy

As we grow spiritually,
we become more open to the pain of others.
And when that happens, something remarkable unfolds.
The more we allow ourselves to feel pain,
the more deeply we begin to experience joy.

Pain and joy are inseparable.
There is joy hidden within pain, and pain within joy.
But there’s an order to it.
Pain comes first.
And the joy that follows—
that’s the real kind.
The deeper the pain,
the greater the joy that rises after.