by Theodosia Garrison, goes:

"I have known sorrow--therefore I
May laugh with you, O friend, more merrily
Than those who never sorrowed upon earth
And know not laughter's worth.

I have known laughter--therefore I
May sorrow with you far more tenderly
Than those who never guess how sad a thing
Seems merriment to one heart's suffering."

The poem is saying that, unless you have known extremes of happiness, you can't appreciate what it is like not to be happy, and similarly, unless you have suffered, you can't fully comprehend how joyous it is to be happy, i.e. not to suffer: you have to have experienced both extremes of emotion to understand and appreciate the opposite, and to fully empathise with somebody who is going through either extreme.

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Note added at 2003-03-14 13:17:08 (GMT)
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And, of course, having known both extremes means you realise how inappropriate other people\'s happiness seems when you yourself are feeling miserable, and vice versa.