Daily Meditation: Monday, October 15, 2018

Joy, our - why are we not more aware of it?

To be happy or unhappy, joyful or sad, are often very relative states of consciousness. Here is an example which will doubtless remind you of some of your own experiences. You find that you are bored, you are a little sad, and life appears colourless and bland. Suddenly you hear some bad news: there has been an accident and a member of your family, or a dear friend, is very seriously hurt and perhaps will not survive. With this news, you are truly upset, and this is understandable. But a few hours later, you learn that it is a mistake, that there was some confusion. And suddenly, what a difference – life now appears so cheerful, so beautiful and rich. Yes, but why did it not appear so before? Why did you have to hear, mistakenly so, that a parent or a friend might die in order to realise that you were already happy before?