To be happy and content with one’s place in the universe is undoubtedly a wonderful feeling. Who doesn’t love waking up feeling energized and in love with life and all its glory? Happiness feels good and is a desirable emotion for understandable reasons. But, I’ve come to realize in my mere twenty years of life on this planet, that feelings of unhappiness remain equally important.
Unhappiness is not quite as appealing of an emotion as happiness. Unhappiness makes it all the harder to get out of bed in the morning. Unhappiness leaves the world looking lackluster and dull. Unhappiness creates feelings of helplessness and hopelessness. Unhappiness, however, is vital to the evolution of oneself.
During overwhelming periods in our life in which chaotic circumstances plague our peace and turn our world upside down, we grow as individuals. Adversity and the feelings it brings with it expand our worldly perspectives and plant within us wisdom and empathy. Suffering has the ability to make one gain a deeper understanding of themselves, and can even make one a gentler, more loving soul. In some instances, there are no significant circumstances that can be attributed to your unhappiness and sadness may unexpectedly find its way into your heart. We grow during these times, too.
To appreciate beauty, one must experience pain. To appreciate presence, you must experience loss. And to appreciate happiness, one must experience the lack of happiness. Not only can something not exist without its opposite, but we cannot truly value its purpose and its powers until we are familiar with them both. Without sadness and grief and anger and heartache, we would have nothing to compare our happiness to. Happiness would remain a constant thing in the universe-like the speed of light or the value of pi. Emotions, however, are not obligated to follow the law of science and are anything but constant.
These two halves- happiness and unhappiness- complete one another. They are interdependent on another and together, make a whole. You must accept the lows with the highs, that way when the highs come around, you appreciate them all the more.
Feelings are mere visitors. They come and go, but do not stay forever. Acknowledge how you feel and the reasons you feel this way. Allow these feelings to be felt and to take their course, but do not push them aside in an attempt to regain that wonderful feeling of happiness you prefer. It’s okay to be sad, and even good for you.
In the wise words of Shree Rajneesh, “a certain darkness is needed to see the stars.”
