Kahlil Gibran

Kahlil Gibran, and his book "The Prophet" was first introduced to me when I was a Senior in High School.  Mr. Schlusberg, our incredible director and acting teacher, read some passages from this book in his ritual Opening Night speech.  There were more than 50 Seniors involved in his production of Shakespeare's "A Midsummer Night's Dream", and we were all facing the reality that this was our last weekend performing as members of Hamden's Mainstage Ensemble.  From that day on, this book has been my "go to" book whenever I need to read someone else's words pertaining to any topic.  There is no emotion he doesn't address in some way, and I think reading his words, and how beautiful and passionate they are, always make me feel at ease.

Here's a piece of what I heard while sitting among my friends and castmates:

On Friendship:
When you part from your friend, you grieve not; for that which you love most in him may be clearer in his absence, as the mountain to the climber is clearer from the plain.  And let there be no purpose in friendship save the deepening of the spirit....And in the sweetness of friendship let there be laughter, and sharing of pleasures.  For in the dew of little things the heart finds its morning and is refreshed.

There were other passages that I know he read -- but this one has always stood out to me. 

Now, more than 10 years later, I find myself still cracking the binding of my copy of "The Prophet" when I feel at a loss for words myself.  I realize many of you think it's impossible for me to be at a loss for words, but there are definitely moments, events, emotions, and many other experiences that set me at a loss.  This is not always a sad, negative, or otherwise "bad" event, some of them can be extremely joyous and charged with so much emotion that should I open my mouth (being my super-emotional self), the level of emotion would be unnecessary and ridiculous.

Today I'm in one of those moods.  There's a lot on my mind, a lot of which I can't express, and that's always an odd feeling for me.  Strangely enough, it is usually those moments when I find myself writing here, or in my journal...still needing a way to release what I'm feeling and share it with the universe.  My last post was the text of President Obama's State of the Union Address...not because I feel my friends weren't watching (or reading) on their own, but by allowing myself to repost the text, it allowed me to process my own thoughts on what was said in a way that also allows the change for others to process how they feel.

Today there are a few places where I found connection with Kahlil, and I want to share them.

On Work:
Work is love made visible.  And if you cannot work with love but only with distaste, it is better that you should leave your work and sit at the gate of the temple and take alms of those who work with joy. 

On Joy and Sorrow: 
Your joy is your sorrow unmasked.  And the selfsame well from which your laughter rises was oftentimes filled with your tears.  And how else can it be?  The deeper that sorrow cuts into your being, the more joy you can contain.  When you are joyous, look deep into your heart and you shall find it is only that which has given you sorrow that is giving you joy.  When you are sorrowful look again in your heart, and you shall see that in truth you are weeping for that which has been your delight.  Some of you say "Joy is greater than sorrow" and others say "Nay, sorrow is the greater."  But I say unto you, they are inseparable.  Together they come, and when one sits, alone with you at your board, remember that the other is asleep upon your bed.

On Prayer:
You pray in your distress and in your need; would that you might pray also in the fullness of your joys and in your days of abundance.

On Death:
For what is it to die but to stand naked in the wind and to melt into the sun?  And what is it to cease breathing, but to free the breath from its restless tides, that it may rise and expand and seek God unencumbered?


Clearly a lot of things on my mind at this moment.  It also allowed me to get a lot of housework done tonight...I like to process thoughts while I'm cleaning, while also allowing me some time to be "quiet" and digest.  Make sense?

Until next time...