Befriend melancholy. Sounds absurd right? We are all in a never-ending race after joy and happiness. We force smiles in hopes of tricking our brains into becoming genuinely happy, forcing our hearts to pump euphoria in place of our blood. Whether explicitly expressed or not, the chase after eternal happiness is a constant thought permanently residing in the folds of our brains. Be it in the center or in its corners, it remains present. The real question is why? Why are we so adamant when it comes to attaining happiness and guaranteeing joy in every level of this game we live in: “life”?
Think about it, how would have we ever even known how good bliss and happiness feel if we never experienced the other extreme to compare it to? You would never value bright light, if you hadn’t been through intense darkness. What good is the sun, if you’ve always been warm? Who cares about the rose if you’ve never been hurt by its thorn? Just as one will not have strong faith in everything unless he’s doubted everything first, one will never appreciate the essence of joy, bliss, and happiness if he hadn’t gone down the melancholic, depressing, and sad path.
Despair and misery are mere stations on the way to happiness, and hence prior to reaching said desired destination, one must stop at them. How long one decides to stay at those stations is what determines how long it will take to arrive at the final destination. The longer the person dwells on sorrows, miseries, and downfalls, the longer he will have to wait to get to savor the taste of pleasure, satisfaction, and contentment.
Just like coffee, life is bittersweet. When you eliminate the excess, and add some sugar, or perhaps some milk—when you deliberately enjoy life’s bitter moments too—what remains is exponentially more delicious, more delightful, more worthwhile. It might be a bitter shock at first; but, much like coffee, a meaningful life is an acquired taste. Savor it and sip slowly.