Only once one has known real sadness can one feel true happiness.

One can enjoy the good only after he has known the bad. We have heard variations of this phrase throughout our lives. But what does it really mean? Have you tried to think about it? The message this phrase gives is that only after you have survived the biggest losses, be it financial, emotional or wellness, you can really appreciate the gains. Even the smallest of things can bring you tremendous joy.

Let's take the first example of a friend of mine. He suffered from partial paralysis during the junior year, the school year had barely started. Before going through that trauma, he had a care free attitude. Only studied when he wanted, which led to his grades being poor. He felt like he had many friends, being popular can bring that illusion. Basically, he behaved like an entitled brat. During the recovery, when he really needed support from his friends, only a few showed up. That coupled with the trauma led him to depression. But what he didn’t realize was that those who showed up for him really cared for him. After some time when he realized this, he was really moved. When the recovery completed, he was a changed man. He was always the most optimistic person, he motivated us when the rest of us were down. To cap it all off, he was voted the most cheery person at graduation.

Conversely, when faced with situation of extreme joy, it doesn’t matter if you have known extreme sadness, you will still feel it deeply. These situations could be marriage, birth of a child, first job. These situations will always be the most cherished, no matter what situations you have been through.

After knowing real sadness one can fill happiness in the smallest moments, but the grandest moments will always leave their mark. Thus, to conclude, I would rectify the original statement. I will re-frame it as, "One who can identify the moments of happiness are the only ones that can really appreciate their value".