Without suffering pain we cannot perfectly appreciate what joy is,
Without a heartbreak we do not know fully what a treasure human heart is,
Without experiencing a defeat we cannot entirely value victory.

For one ecstasy of a seduction by a flower we must first be hurt by two thorns,
For one fulfilling love we must first go through a few heartbreaks,
For living with peace with fellow human beings we must first get wounded by them a few times.

The stupendous trove of human wisdom often does not work
To bring happiness to human life or even wipe off one tear.
The experience of life transcends its understanding.
When we smell a rose, it is its direct impact on our elements that transports us to its magic
No matter how we live, we cannot escape life’s direct experience,
The balm of wisdom can be applied only afterward.

Our first heartbreak is a sacred rite of passage to a more fulfilled life,
Our first failure gives us a quantum leap of understanding of the world and self,
Our first loss of peace of mind sets the stage for a larger tranquility to come.

We need faith, even when we have experience,
We need love, even when we have chosen renunciation,
We need inner harmony, even when we have fixed our goals.

There is no loneliness when we walk through a garden of ideas,
There is no hurt when we become selfless,
There is no defeat when we do not seek recognition.

God has created human life very tough,
As if to develop our mettle for the journey beyond this life.
We are in training for something larger than we can comprehend.