Laughter and tears 
by Gibran Khalil Gibran


As the Sun withdrew his rays from the garden, and the moon threw cushioned beams upon the
flowers, I sat under the 
trees pondering upon the phenomena of the atmosphere, looking through the branches at the
strewn stars which glittered like chips of silver upon a blue carpet; and Icould hear from a
distance the agitated murmur of therivulet singing its way briskly into the valler. 

When the birds took shelter among the boughs, and the flowers folded their petals, and
tremendous silence descended, I heard a rustle of feet though the grass. I took heed and saw
a yound couple approaching my arbor. The say under a tree where I could see them without
being seen. 

After he looked about in every direction, I heard the young man saying, "Sit by me, my
beloved, and listen to my heart; smile, for your happiness is a symbol of our future; be merry,
for the sparkling days rejoice with us. 

"My soul is warning me of the doubt in your heart, for doubt in love is a sin." Soon you will be
the owner of this vast land, lighted by this beautiful moon; soon you will be the mistress of my
palace, and all the servants and maids will obey your commands. "Smile, my beloved, like the
gold smiles from my father's coffers." My heart refuses to deny you its secret. Twelve months of
comfort and travel await us; for a year we will spend my father's gold at the blue lakes of
Switzerland, and viewing the edifices of Italy and Egypt, and resting under the Holy Cedars of
Lebanon; you will meet the princesses who will envy you for your jewels and clothes. "All
these things I will do for you; will you be satisfied?" 

In a little while I saw them walking and stepping on flowers as the rich step upon the hearts of
the poor. As they disappeared from my sight, I commenced to make comparison between love
and money, and to analyze their position in 
the heart. 

Money! The source of insincere love; the spring of false light and fortune; the well of poisoned
water; the desperation of old age! I was still wandering in the vast desert of contemplation
when a forlorn and spectre-like couple passed by me and sat on the grass; a young man and a
young woman who had left their farming shacks in the nearby fields for this cool and solitary
place. 

After a few moments of complete silence, I heard the following words uttered with sighs from
weather-bitten lips, "Shed not tears, my beloved; love that opens our eyes and enslaves our
hearts can give us the blessiong of patience. Be consoled in our delay our delay, for we have
taken an oath and entered Love's shrine; for our love will ever grow in adversity; for it is in
Love's name that we are suffering the obstacles of poverty and the sharpness of misery and
the emptiness of separation. I shall attack these hardships until I triumph and place in your
hands a strength that will help over all things to complete the journey of life. 

"Love - which is God - will consider our sighs and tears as incense burned at His altar and He
will reward us with fortitude. Good-bye, my beloved; I must leave before the heartening moon
vanishes." 

A pure voice, combined of the consuming flame of love, and the hopeless bitterness of longing
and the resolved sweetness of patience, said, "Good-bye, my beloved." They seperated, and
the elegy to their union was smothered by the wails of my crying heart. I looked upon
slumbering Nature, and with deep reflection discovered the reality of a vast and infinite thing ;
something no power could demand, influence acquire, nor riches purchase. Nor could it be
effaced by the tears of time or deadened by sorrow; a thing which cannot be discovered by the
blue lakes of Switzerland or the beautiful edifaces of Italy. 

It is something that gathers strength with patience, grows despite obstacles, warms in winter,
flourishes in spring, casts a breeze in summer, and bears fruit in autumn ; I found Love.