Originally Posted by
nez 
My wife got some life altering medical news a month ago. She could possibly have acute leukemia. She went for the blood work and we had been waiting for the results until finally yesterday they came. She does not have acute leukemia.
I could have numbed for the past month but because i didn't, I was able to be there for my wife. Numbing myself, would have robbed both my wife and me. Instead our relationship deepened, even after 30+ years.
Life has peaks and valleys. If it was all peaks, we would not appreciate the peaks and they would become blaise because that would be all we knew.
I know night because of day.
ThatsT such and excellent way to think about it. An old friend of mine who was in long term recovery subscribed to the Buddhist principle that life is suffering punctuated by periods of joy. We in the westeer world have been raised thinking everyday should be a great day filled with happiness. I think this mindset leads to widespread disappointment and further suffering