When Life is More Bitter Than Sweet.
Photo: Vecteezy
“Whatever pain you cannot shake, make it your creative offering.”
Life is difficult.
While we understand that every life entails its share of struggle and hardship, no one wants to see their loved ones go through hard times. Bittersweet: How Sadness and Longing Make Us Whole changed the way I think about sadness and loss in my daughter’s life and in my own. This top Leadership for Life resource reveals the unexpected alchemy that turns sorrow, longing, and loss into beauty, creativity, and deeper life.
Longing and loss occupy a crucial place in a rich, full life, leading us to be more compassionate toward others and even toward ourselves. Sadness, the author quips, “is the ultimate bonding agent.” After suffering three devastating losses in my family in just five years, grieving together has forged even deeper bonds and galvanized our resolve to transform our pain into something beautiful.
Bittersweet: How Sadness and Longing Make Us Whole by Susan Cain (Penguin Random House, 2023)