The Things You Learn

Harry Buschman

When I was young I thought it would be nice to put all the good times I’ve had in one jar and all the bad times in another. Then if ever I was fortunate enough to live to a ripe old age I could sit in a comfortable chair with the good times in front of me and pick them out like cherries and enjoy each of them one by one...all over again.

So I did that. One jar for the bad times and another for the good, and I waited for old age to set in. It came quickly and I never expected to open the bad times jar, just the good times. I even put a lid on the bad times jar. Who wants to relive the bad times?

Well, as I said, old age came all too soon. I’m old enough now to realize how dumb I’ve been.

I’ve learned there are no good times without the bad ones. The good times weren’t nearly as good as I thought they were before. They couldn’t be enjoyed fully, they could barely be remembered. But if I put both jars in front of me and reached into them both at the same time, being careful to take one of each, I’d be able to balance them in the palms of my hands and look at them together. It was far better that way, the bad times were balanced by the good and it made the good ones even more of a treasure.

Sugar without the salt is not as sweet.

So if there’s a Heaven let there be occasional rainy days, some bad years for the wine and a sour note or two in the congregation.