“Joy & Woe are woven fine / A Clothing for the soul divine / Under every grief & pine / Runs a joy with silken twine.” So wrote the English poet, William Blake. His words call to mind the Book of Ecclesiastes: “For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: a time to be born, a time to die . . . a time to weep, and a time to laugh.” In this classic work of ancient Hebrew wisdom literature (a favorite since I was 14) the sage compels us to reflect on the impermanent nature of all things human: our books, our knowledge, our possessions, our wealth, our lifespan. And in so doing we seek a path to life that is good and happy and whole.

From Chalice member Merlin Snider.