--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Sorrows come to stretch out places in the…" description: "\"Sorrows come to stretch out places in the heart for joy.\" — Edwin Markham" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5d2/edwin-markham-11431_death_sorrows-come-to-stretch-out-places-in-th_3205766.png" --- # Sorrows come to stretch out places in the heart for joy. ![“Sorrows come to stretch out places in the heart for joy.” quote by Edwin Markham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5d2/edwin-markham-11431_death_sorrows-come-to-stretch-out-places-in-th_3205766.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5d2/edwin-markham-11431_death_sorrows-come-to-stretch-out-places-in-th_3205766.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5d2/edwin-markham-11431_death_sorrows-come-to-stretch-out-places-in-th_3205766.png) > “Sorrows come to stretch out places in the heart for joy.” [Edwin Markham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-markham/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Sorrow expands emotional capacity, making room for later happiness. **In simple terms:** Sadness creates space for joy. Key Takeaway Embrace grief to welcome joy. Themes grief growth emotional balance Mood reflective hopeful Type poetic inspirational When to use this quote - personal loss - relationship healing - creative expression Key Concepts psychology resilience contrast Questions to Reflect On - How does pain prepare you for happiness? - Can you identify moments where sorrow led to joy? A Different Perspective Joy may not follow immediately; timing varies. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) [Grief](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grief/) [Grieving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grieving/) [Heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heart/) [Joy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/joy/) [Sorrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sorrow/) [Sorrows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sorrows/) ## Related quotes > [When sorrows come, they come not single spies, but in battalions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/when-sorrows-come-they-come-not-single-spies-but-in-battalions/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Half of our sorrows come from setting exalted standards for people and then breaking our hearts when they fail to live up to them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-hegan-rice/half-of-our-sorrows-come-from-setting-exalted-standards-for-people/) [Alice Hegan Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-hegan-rice/) > [Defeat may serve as well as victory To shake the soul and let the glory out. When the great oak is straining in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-markham/defeat-may-serve-as-well-as-victory-to-shake-the-soul-and-let-the-2/) [Edwin Markham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-markham/) > [“God tells us why: “I … have heard their cry because of their taskmasters, for I know their sorrows. … So I have come…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-brogden/god-tells-us-why-i-have-heard-their-cry-because-of-their-taskmasters/) [Dick Brogden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-brogden/) > [“I do not know why sorrows come and burning teardrops fall; I only know God still is God And watches over all.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-gilbert/i-do-not-know-why-sorrows-come-and-burning-teardrops-fall-i-only-know/) John Gilbert > [When I was a boy, my parents were writers and they owned a bookstore, 'The Complete Traveler in New York,' so writing and books…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-greenberg/when-i-was-a-boy-my-parents-were-writers-and-they-owned-a-bookstore/) [Mike Greenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-greenberg/) > [“Always show kindness and love to others. Your words might be filling the empty places in someone's heart.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mandy-hale/always-show-kindness-and-love-to-others-your-words-might-be-filling/) [Mandy Hale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mandy-hale/) > [There are some things you don't learn about yourself until you let someone else into the most intimate places of your heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiera-cass/there-are-some-things-you-don-t-learn-about-yourself-until-you-let/) [Kiera Cass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiera-cass/) > [I don't remember who said this, but there really are places in the heart you don't even know exist until you love a child.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-lamott/i-don-t-remember-who-said-this-but-there-really-are-places-in-the/) [Anne Lamott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-lamott/) > [In that most magnificent place, the purest of all places-your heart, someone resides there who is your closest friend. There for you always. No…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/prem-rawat/in-that-most-magnificent-place-the-purest-of-all-places-your-heart/) [Prem Rawat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/prem-rawat/) > [There are places in my heart...where no living soul...has...or can ever...trespass.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-pinter/there-are-places-in-my-heart-where-no-living-soul-has-or-can-ever/) [Harold Pinter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-pinter/) > [There are places in the heart that do not yet exist; suffering has to enter in for them to come to be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-on-bloy/there-are-places-in-the-heart-that-do-not-yet-exist-suffering-has-to/) [Leon Bloy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-on-bloy/) > [“Find the wild places of her heart, and set her love free.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christy-ann-martine/find-the-wild-places-of-her-heart-and-set-her-love-free/) [Christy Ann Martine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christy-ann-martine/) > [“There are really places in your heart that you don't know exist until you love a child.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-lamott/there-are-really-places-in-your-heart-that-you-don-t-know-exist-until/) Ann Lamott > [Safety is in Heaven. Put your values there only; put your heart there. No tears are there to flood your heart, no sorrows there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-mckendree-bounds/safety-is-in-heaven-put-your-values-there-only-put-your-heart-there/) [Edward McKendree Bounds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-mckendree-bounds/) ## More by Edwin Markham > [I fear the vermin that shall undermineSenate and citadel and school and shrine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-markham/i-fear-the-vermin-that-shall-underminesenate-and-citadel-and-school/) [Edwin Markham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-markham/) > [Greed and Gain, grim guardians of the great god Mammon, continually cry in the ears of the poor, 'Give us your little ones!' And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-markham/greed-and-gain-grim-guardians-of-the-great-god-mammon-continually-cry/) [Edwin Markham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-markham/) > [Here is the Truth in a little creed, Enough for all the roads we go: In Love is all the law we need, In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-markham/here-is-the-truth-in-a-little-creed-enough-for-all-the-roads-we-go-in/) [Edwin Markham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-markham/) > [There is a destiny which makes us brothers; none goes his way alone. 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Sorrows come to stretch out spaces in the heart for joy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-markham/only-the-soul-that-knows-the-mighty-grief-can-know-the-mighty-rapture/) [Edwin Markham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-markham/) > [Fight ever on: this earthly stuff If used God’s way will be enough. Face to the firing line o friend Fight out life’s battle…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-markham/fight-ever-on-this-earthly-stuff-if-used-god-s-way-will-be-enough/) [Edwin Markham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-markham/) > [Whoever falls from God's right hand is caught into his left](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-markham/whoever-falls-from-god-s-right-hand-is-caught-into-his-left/) [Edwin Markham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-markham/) > [Lincoln, the Man of the People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-markham/lincoln-the-man-of-the-people/) [Edwin Markham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-markham/) > [The crest and crowning of all good, life's final star, is Brotherhood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-markham/the-crest-and-crowning-of-all-good-life-s-final-star-is-brotherhood/) [Edwin Markham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-markham/) > [Bierce radiates brilliancy, and perhaps no other man of letters ever had a more ready command of condensed expression. For him, each word has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-markham/bierce-radiates-brilliancy-and-perhaps-no-other-man-of-letters-ever/) [Edwin Markham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-markham/) > [By a divine paradox, wherever there is one slave there are two. So in the wonderful reciprocities of being, we can never reach the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-markham/by-a-divine-paradox-wherever-there-is-one-slave-there-are-two-so-in/) [Edwin Markham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-markham/) [Explore all 60 Edwin Markham quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-markham/) ## More Death quotes > [“He wondered how it was fair that your dying should depend so much on when you were born.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/he-wondered-how-it-was-fair-that-your-dying-should-depend-so-much-on/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) > [What sets worlds in motion is the interplay of differences, their attractions and repulsions. Life is plurality, death is uniformity. By suppressing differences and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octavio-paz/what-sets-worlds-in-motion-is-the-interplay-of-differences-their/) [Octavio Paz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/octavio-paz/) > [Most of us are convinced that we are our egos, which is who we think we are. The ego is part of our incarnation.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ram-dass/most-of-us-are-convinced-that-we-are-our-egos-which-is-who-we-think/) [Ram Dass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ram-dass/) > [I do not want to live at the cost of the life even of a snake. I should let him bite me to death…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/i-do-not-want-to-live-at-the-cost-of-the-life-even-of-a-snake-i/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [“It was beautiful. He thought he had never seen anything so beautiful in all his life; that, having seen it, he could die content,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mira-grant/it-was-beautiful-he-thought-he-had-never-seen-anything-so-beautiful/) [Mira Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mira-grant/) > [Retirement? You're talking about death, right?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-altman/retirement-you-re-talking-about-death-right/) [Robert Altman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-altman/) > [With multiplayer, permanent death, and an ever-changing world to explore and conquer, 'A Valley Without Wind' might be the place you're looking for if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-manuel/with-multiplayer-permanent-death-and-an-ever-changing-world-to/) [Rob Manuel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-manuel/) > [“What did you see?” she asked gently. His brow furrowed, as if he could not understand the question. Then his eyes turned to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-anthony-torino/what-did-you-see-she-asked-gently-his-brow-furrowed-as-if-he-could/) J. Anthony Torino > [Those whose life is long still strive for gain, and for all mortals all things take second place to money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophocles/those-whose-life-is-long-still-strive-for-gain-and-for-all-mortals/) [Sophocles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophocles/) > [“I practice Dying--every night-- But have not learned to, still-- Though Talented--by Mortal bones-- For such a common Skill.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-w-powers/i-practice-dying-every-night-but-have-not-learned-to-still-though/) Alan W. Powers > [“You must understand the pain and grief of losing someone is nothing more than a function of survival.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-cooper/you-must-understand-the-pain-and-grief-of-losing-someone-is-nothing/) [Steven Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-cooper/) > [I am not a depressive person at all, but I reflect a lot on my life, and life in general, from the perspective of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/i-am-not-a-depressive-person-at-all-but-i-reflect-a-lot-on-my-life/) [Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/) > [“Death is a reality that calls the rest of life and all of our assorted strivings into sharp relief.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-d-lounsbrough/death-is-a-reality-that-calls-the-rest-of-life-and-all-of-our/) [Craig D. Lounsbrough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-d-lounsbrough/) > [I love life. I love life to death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmanuelle-riva/i-love-life-i-love-life-to-death/) [Emmanuelle Riva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmanuelle-riva/) > [I think when you’re dying you start looking for important things in the corners. You can’t let anything that seems even semi-important pass, because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-crutcher/i-think-when-you-re-dying-you-start-looking-for-important-things-in/) [Chris Crutcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-crutcher/) [Browse all 39,127 Death quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Sorrows come to stretch out places in the heart for joy.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Edwin Markham" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-markham/sorrows-come-to-stretch-out-places-in-the-heart-for-joy/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Death" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-markham/sorrows-come-to-stretch-out-places-in-the-heart-for-joy/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5d2/edwin-markham-11431_death_sorrows-come-to-stretch-out-places-in-th_3205766.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5d2/edwin-markham-11431_death_sorrows-come-to-stretch-out-places-in-th_3205766.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5d2/edwin-markham-11431_death_sorrows-come-to-stretch-out-places-in-th_3205766.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Sorrows come to stretch out places in the heart for joy.” — Edwin Markham", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Edwin Markham", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-markham/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Sorrows come to stretch out places...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-markham/sorrows-come-to-stretch-out-places-in-the-heart-for-joy/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-markham/sorrows-come-to-stretch-out-places-in-the-heart-for-joy/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```