i have in my hands two boxes which god gave me to hold. he said, "put all your sarrows in the black box, and all your joys in the gold." i heeded1 his words, and in the two boxes both my joys and sarrows i stored.
but though the gold became heavier each day, the black was as light as before. with curiosity, i opened the black: i wanted to find out why. and i saw, in the base of the box, a hole which my sorrows had fallen out by.
i showed the hole to god, and mused2, "i wonder where my sarrows could be." he smiled a gentle smile and said, "my child ,they're all here with me." i asked god, why he gave me the boxes, why the gold, and the black with the hole? "my child, the gold is for you to count your blessings3; the black is for you to let go."
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