It is okay to feel happy when others are suffering.
Let me say that again.
It is okay to feel happy when others are suffering.
It is not a sign of callousness or being uncaring or that you're forgetful or even arrogant.
It is not.
It is okay to feel happy when others are suffering.
Because the tables have always been turned,
There have been days when you were in your deepest,
Darkest despair and yet someone on that very day decided to marry the love of their life or won the lottery or found $50 in their drawer or achieved one of their wildest dreams.
It's how it works.
Our saddest day is someone else's happiest.
Our hardest day is the very day someone soars like an eagle.
So while others we know are suffering in the world,
Oh there's so much suffering in the world,
Our own suffering in the moment does nothing to relieve theirs.
So sweet listener,
How do we find a place where we hold those in our hearts so dear who have way less than we do or in this moment are facing fears that we can't even fathom?
How do we do that?
Well it's strange to say this but we continue to find and navigate our way toward our own happy.
We continue to find our way.
We continue to notice the flowers and breathe in the air and snuggle our puppies and create the life we've always desired.
We reach for what brings us the most joy even while holding those in our heart who cannot do the very same thing.
It does no good for any of us to sit and wring our hands and wallow in the unfairness of it all.
Oh it is not fair.
There is nothing about this life that is fair.
Fair is an illusion and striving to find it in every single moment is what trips us up.
We yes,
We work for it.
We work for equity but in the moment there will always be those who have more suffering than we do,
Who are not enjoying the things that we have right before us and it doesn't serve for us to sit in the sadness of that.
So if you're in a position where in your life is going pretty well or you're pretty clear about things that are right before you and you are not suffering then first of all feel gratitude,
Feel genuinely truly grateful for that.
Then take a moment and send love to those who do not have that.
Donate your dollars,
Make calls to politicians,
Do your part,
Do what you can do to help but remember what will not help is for you to stop the pursuit of your own beautiful and joyful life.
In fact doing so will actually diminish the possibility for others to have happiness as well.
So today as you hold in your heart others who are suffering,
Hold in your heart those who have less than you or who are doing the absolute unfathomable to stay alive.
Hold them in your heart and then go and ask yourself what can I do with this one wild and precious life and then do it and then do it.
