Throughout human history and across cultures artists and philosophers have expressed the idea that it is our struggles that have the potential to make us better human beings.
For example, the Roman poet Ovid wrote: “Welcome this pain for you will learn from it”.
Similarly the 13th century Persian poet Rumi: “Don’t turn away. Keep your gaze on the bandaged place. That’s where the light enters you”.
More recently, Leonard Cohen has beautifully expressed the idea that it is our broken bits (and who hasn’t got some of those?) that can enrich our lives in the song Anthem: “ There’s a crack, a crack in everything, that’s how the light gets in”.
Click here to hear Anthem
To me it is comforting to know that our difficulties need not be in vain. That valuable learning may be gained from our struggles.
Hi Sophia,
Very good website – liked you Blog about googling things…
One thing that i s worth googling is the lyrics to “Always look on the bright side of life…” Try it. Maybe it is because we know the song so well that we have completely forgotten the meaning…
Regards,
Martin