When you think about it, life is completely absurd. There is so much sadness in the world, but also so much joy, and the clash between the two is a difficult thing to come to terms with sometimes. I get sad around the holidays when I think about people who spend them alone because they have no one to spend them with. I also get sad during the winter when I think about homeless people that have to stay outside in the unbearable, freezing weather. I am sad for animals in shelters who have no home, and I am sad for families who do not have money to buy Christmas presents for their children. Amidst all this sadness, we sometimes catch a glimpse of something so extraordinary and pure that brings us joy and happiness practically to the point of tears. Such events occur to me when I visit my grandfather in the nursing home and see his face light up when I walk into the room. Or when I’m at the symphony and I hear a beautiful, perfect melody. This happened to me recently, at the nursing home actually. I was visiting my grandpa and they had a concert for the residents. The concert was put on by a group of children, and although they were still learning and not fantastic, their harmony and unity was so beautiful I had tears in my eyes. It was also nice to share that moment with my grandpa. Moments like these overwhelm us with joy and beauty, while others overwhelm us with sadness. Although this clash seems absurd and is difficult to understand, we get through life experiencing a combination of both.