There is simply no way for us to experience all of the joy that life has to offer without also opening ourselves up to pain.
Our hearts cannot be receptive to the good without also being vulnerable to the bad.
If we want to protect ourselves from being hurt, from being let down, disappointed, and experiencing tragedy, we also shut ourselves off from love, joy, and happiness.
Unfortunately, this does not actually work so well.
Pain has a way of finding us whether we are open to it or not.
It does not ask our permission.
It just comes.
Love, joy, and happiness, on the other hand, do not seek us out.
They do not just come to us on their own.
We must be open to them.
We must work for them.
And, even though they may not last, we have to seize upon them when the opportunity presents itself, lest we miss it.
Since pain will find us whether we are open to it or not, we may as well embrace it so that we can experience the good with the bad.
It is better to have both than joy and pain than to have pain alone.