Joy Received and Given

From the Roots of Asia Tarot, the Three of Cups; from the Mah Jongg Oracle, Pearl:

Shared joy is a double joy; shared sorrow is half sorrow.

~Swedish Proverb 

          The cup at the top of this card pouring out its contents into the other two reminds me of sympathetic joy. This type of joy is pleasure derived from someone else's well-being and good fortune. It takes an open heart to welcome another person's happiness. All too often we are jealous or resentful; it seems we are better at gloating over another's misfortunes. But as the Dalai Lama explains it, there are so many people in this world, it simply makes sense to make their happiness a source of our own. Then our chances of experiencing joy “are enhanced six billion to one,” he says. “Those are very good odds.” The Pearl ('Moon at the Bottom of the Sea') suggests honor, but not simply because of the knowledge, power or resources we hold. It is earned respect because of the generous and compassionate way we use those things.

I’ve learned that you shouldn’t go through life with a catcher’s mitt on both hands; you need to be able to throw something back. ~Maya Angelou