A shadow only follows because somewhere nearby there is light.

The presence of a dark patch means there is a source of light nearby, which is a quietly useful observation when things feel entirely dark. Difficulty is often defined against something good that exists, and grief in particular tends to be proportional to something that was real.

When something weighs on you, ask what it is casting from. Naming the good thing behind the pain does not remove the pain. It does put it in a truer proportion.