White Paintbrushes

My dearest friend, don't be down,
Your days of joy will come.
Be grateful for adversities,
here's a rule of thumb.

When thinking of hard times in your life
symbolically, push them in a jar.
Let its blackness fill it up,
remembering every scar.

Create a flask of darkened times
to hold inside your grasp.
Memories of hurtful things,
and sadness in your past.

This oily murk, to stir and stir,
Your times of toil and strife.
Now open it... and throw it!
across the canvas of a life.

The question is, to ask yourself,
How darkened was your paint?
Step back and take a look at it.
And let me tell you something great!

As sad as it may very well be,
these times of dark and gray.
Consider that the harder it was
The BETTER on your way.

For "IT" can be the contrast
against new colors that you sow.
upon this darkened backdrop
that you have come to know.

To take new pleasures "as they come",
and judge their full appeal.
The more hardship you've endured in life,
the better they will feel.

For you can now appreciate
when happiness comes your way
In contrast to the darkness,
Perhaps to change your day.

So start today and paint life's journey,
with strokes in joyful rushes.
And upon this backdrop you've come to know,

you can use your white paintbrushes.