Let people have their joy

The reverse, of course, is also true

life is hard in a multitude of ways for everyone;

fortune in one area does not exclude anguish in another.

it’s death by a thousand cuts for us all, and

we’ll never see most of the scars,

or the bandages,

that keep people from bleeding out.

this is no place for measuring sticks

because there is no standard for pain –

someone else’s paper cut might be a gaping wound for you.

the reverse, of course, is also true;

and all of it hurts.

let people have their joy

(however small or large).

we’re all just plodding along here

and no one makes it out alive.

what delights someone else may not delight you.

and the reverse, of course, is also true —

but it doesn’t have to.

there is no standard for joy, either.

our opinions — about whether someone’s joy is worthy of celebration

or if someone’s pain is worthy of empathy — don’t matter at all.

you don’t have to like something

to celebrate someone else’s happiness,

and it’s impossible to know what pain (in any form)

feels like to someone else.

so if you’re fortunate enough

for someone to share a bit of happiness with you

(however small or large)

and your first thought is anything other than,

“That’s wonderful! I’m so happy for you!”

maybe keep it to yourself.

there is nothing to gain from extinguishing someone else’s spark

and a life spent stamping down other people’s joy will

— sooner or later —

become a very lonely one.

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Let’s choose kindness and empathy when we can.

Let’s try to leave people better than we found them.

And the old, “If you can’t say something nice . . .” ;)

xo,

Beth