--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Joy requires one to be awake, Adjusting…" description: "\"Joy requires one to be awake, Adjusting the heart's ambience to bright. Some prefer the dark, as is their right, On grounds of agony, and to forsake No..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/899/nick-gordon-33980_adjusting_joy-requires-one-to-be-awake-adjusting-t_1906274.png" --- # Joy requires one to be awake, Adjusting the heart's… ![“Joy requires one to be awake, Adjusting the heart's ambience to bright. Some prefer the dark, as is their right, On grounds of agony, and to forsake Not only bliss, but all that's blessed by light.” quote by Nick Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/899/nick-gordon-33980_adjusting_joy-requires-one-to-be-awake-adjusting-t_1906274.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/899/nick-gordon-33980_adjusting_joy-requires-one-to-be-awake-adjusting-t_1906274.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/899/nick-gordon-33980_adjusting_joy-requires-one-to-be-awake-adjusting-t_1906274.png) > “Joy requires one to be awake, Adjusting the heart's ambience to bright. Some prefer the dark, as is their right, On grounds of agony, and to forsake Not only bliss, but all that's blessed by light.” [Nick Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-gordon/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Awareness and positivity require conscious effort to shift mindset from darkness to light, rejecting suffering that blocks joy. **In simple terms:** Being awake to joy needs adjusting heart to light. Key Takeaway Choose light, reject darkness. Themes joy mindset spirituality Mood reflective hopeful Type inspirational philosophical When to use this quote - personal growth - mental health - spiritual practice Key Concepts consciousness emotional regulation Questions to Reflect On - How can you shift your heart’s ambience? - What darkness holds you back? A Different Perspective Choosing light may be difficult amid deep pain. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Agony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/agony/) [Blessed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/blessed/) [Bliss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bliss/) [Dark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dark/) [Heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heart/) [Joy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/joy/) [Light](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/light/) ## Related quotes > [“The superhuman task of transforming present society into a state of peace and joy requires more than ordinary human power; if God himself does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-bavinck/the-superhuman-task-of-transforming-present-society-into-a-state-of/) [Herman Bavinck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-bavinck/) > [You need to be able to find joy in something that requires so much of yourself. I have to have that deeper meaning in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-moore/you-need-to-be-able-to-find-joy-in-something-that-requires-so-much-of/) [Maya Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-moore/) > [I guess I just prefer to see the dark side of things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janeane-garofalo/i-guess-i-just-prefer-to-see-the-dark-side-of-things/) [Janeane Garofalo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janeane-garofalo/) > [Personally, I prefer the dark side.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-radcliffe/personally-i-prefer-the-dark-side/) [Daniel Radcliffe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-radcliffe/) > [“Sometimes people think they want to know things, but then they hear the answer and realize they'd prefer to be in the dark.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-harrington/sometimes-people-think-they-want-to-know-things-but-then-they-hear/) [Hannah Harrington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-harrington/) > [“Certain living things prefer the dark, thriving in the shadows of tombstones and crypts, flowering admist the dead. Others tend toward the sun, blooming…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fiona-paul/certain-living-things-prefer-the-dark-thriving-in-the-shadows-of/) [Fiona Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fiona-paul/) > [The zeitgeist tells us that we 'should' prefer dark chocolate much the same as we should prefer wine, coffee, and whiskey with flavor profiles…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-morocco/the-zeitgeist-tells-us-that-we-should-prefer-dark-chocolate-much-the/) [Chris Morocco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-morocco/) > [I guess I just prefer to see the dark side of things. The glass is always half-empty. And cracked. And I just cut my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janeane-garofalo/i-guess-i-just-prefer-to-see-the-dark-side-of-things-the-glass-is/) [Janeane Garofalo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janeane-garofalo/) > [I first decided to become an actor at school. A teacher gave us a play to do and that had a major impact. At…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-reno/i-first-decided-to-become-an-actor-at-school-a-teacher-gave-us-a-play/) [Jean Reno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-reno/) > [Eating is one of the great beauties in life. One of my favorite recreations... eating with friends, the service, the ambience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leroy-neiman/eating-is-one-of-the-great-beauties-in-life-one-of-my-favorite/) [LeRoy Neiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leroy-neiman/) > [Let's get loose with Compassion. Let's drown in the delicious ambience of Love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/let-s-get-loose-with-compassion-let-s-drown-in-the-delicious-ambience/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Well, when I was a kid I used to hide behind the curtains at home at Christmas and I used to try and be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-plant/well-when-i-was-a-kid-i-used-to-hide-behind-the-curtains-at-home-at/) [Robert Plant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-plant/) > [The costume the actors wear and if they're in stylized makeup and wigs in a live-action movie let's say, in a big costume drama,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-spielberg/the-costume-the-actors-wear-and-if-they-re-in-stylized-makeup-and/) [Steven Spielberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-spielberg/) > [While doing movies, I enjoyed every bit of it - the ambience, my co-stars, my roles, the art of getting under the skin of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pooja-bedi/while-doing-movies-i-enjoyed-every-bit-of-it-the-ambience-my-co-stars/) [Pooja Bedi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pooja-bedi/) > [You don't want to be too hot in the club. And ambience is important - no fog machines.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paloma-elsesser/you-don-t-want-to-be-too-hot-in-the-club-and-ambience-is-important-no/) [Paloma Elsesser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paloma-elsesser/) ## More by Nick Gordon > [On Hanukkah, the first dark night, Light yourself a candle bright. I'll you, if you will me invite To dance within that gentle light.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-gordon/on-hanukkah-the-first-dark-night-light-yourself-a-candle-bright-i-ll/) [Nick Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-gordon/) > [Mothers are the place that we call home. On them we rest our heads and close our eyes. There's no one else who grants…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-gordon/mothers-are-the-place-that-we-call-home-on-them-we-rest-our-heads-and/) [Nick Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-gordon/) > [Hobgoblins know the proper way to dance: Arms akimbo, loopy legs askew, Leaping into darkness with delight, Lusting for the ecstasy of fright, Open…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-gordon/hobgoblins-know-the-proper-way-to-dance-arms-akimbo-loopy-legs-askew/) [Nick Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-gordon/) > [On Halloween, witches come true; Wild ghosts escape from dreams. Each monster dances in the park…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-gordon/on-halloween-witches-come-true-wild-ghosts-escape-from-dreams-each/) [Nick Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-gordon/) > [By day each soul must walk within its shadow. Only night can make us whole again...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-gordon/by-day-each-soul-must-walk-within-its-shadow-only-night-can-make-us/) [Nick Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-gordon/) > [...A fuel-less flame is nothing but a wraith, However wrought, if unsustained by passion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-gordon/a-fuel-less-flame-is-nothing-but-a-wraith-however-wrought-if/) [Nick Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-gordon/) > [Given angel's wings, where might you fly? In what sweet heaven might you find your love? Unwilling to be bound, where might you move,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-gordon/given-angel-s-wings-where-might-you-fly-in-what-sweet-heaven-might/) [Nick Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-gordon/) > [Angels are quite ample cause to cry...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-gordon/angels-are-quite-ample-cause-to-cry/) [Nick Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-gordon/) > [Christmas is a time of little time. How we get there is a mystery. Racing madly mall-to-mall, we climb Into fields of sunlit harmony.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-gordon/christmas-is-a-time-of-little-time-how-we-get-there-is-a-mystery/) [Nick Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-gordon/) > [Only night can make us whole again...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-gordon/only-night-can-make-us-whole-again/) [Nick Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-gordon/) > [Sixty years is cause enough to sing In celebration of a gentle life! To the mother and the wife, Taking pleasure in what love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-gordon/sixty-years-is-cause-enough-to-sing-in-celebration-of-a-gentle-life/) [Nick Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-gordon/) > [Love of life at times requires death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-gordon/love-of-life-at-times-requires-death/) [Nick Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-gordon/) > [December finds himself again a child Even as he undergoes his age. Cold and early darkness now descends, Embracing sanctuaries of delight. More and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-gordon/december-finds-himself-again-a-child-even-as-he-undergoes-his-age/) [Nick Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-gordon/) [Explore all 14 Nick Gordon quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-gordon/) ## More Adjusting quotes > [In the movie, I deal with the loss of my legs and adjusting and trying to become a new person, essentially.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-bauman/in-the-movie-i-deal-with-the-loss-of-my-legs-and-adjusting-and-trying/) [Jeff Bauman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-bauman/) > [Aerobic dancing is already adjusting to injury problems and will probably phase out to some extent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-h-cooper/aerobic-dancing-is-already-adjusting-to-injury-problems-and-will/) [Kenneth H. Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-h-cooper/) > [Every year, you have to keep adjusting. I'm 28; I'm not 19 anymore. You have to work harder now.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/felix-hernandez/every-year-you-have-to-keep-adjusting-i-m-28-i-m-not-19-anymore-you/) [Felix Hernandez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/felix-hernandez/) > [The most successful businessmen were often uneducated when measured by the scholastic standards of the teaching profession. But they were equal to their social…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-von-mises/the-most-successful-businessmen-were-often-uneducated-when-measured/) [Ludwig von Mises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-von-mises/) > [It was physically difficult, adjusting to wheelchair life, but I remember a great relief and happiness that I was finally getting somewhere, finding musicians…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-wyatt/it-was-physically-difficult-adjusting-to-wheelchair-life-but-i/) [Robert Wyatt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-wyatt/) > [At first I had no skills in writing comedy. I didn't know what a joke was, but, as someone once told me, your emotions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-martin/at-first-i-had-no-skills-in-writing-comedy-i-didn-t-know-what-a-joke/) [Steve Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-martin/) > [The challenge of co-operation in today's age of quarrel can be achieved by adjusting every situation according to the higher principle of loving God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/radhanath-swami/the-challenge-of-co-operation-in-today-s-age-of-quarrel-can-be/) [Radhanath Swami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/radhanath-swami/) > [“ Here's something life doesn't give you: a recipe.You have to make it up as you go along, adjusting accordingly. ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-gold/here-s-something-life-doesn-t-give-you-a-recipe-you-have-to-make-it/) Jennifer Gold > [The first effect of adjusting to other people is that one becomes boring.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elias-canetti/the-first-effect-of-adjusting-to-other-people-is-that-one-becomes/) [Elias Canetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elias-canetti/) > [I think they’re having trouble adjusting to the emotions they have outside of their dreams. At any rate, they keep acting like demented teenagers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/i-think-they-re-having-trouble-adjusting-to-the-emotions-they-have/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [Wise and prudent men and intelligent conservatives have long known that in a changing world worthy institutions can be conserved only by adjusting them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-d-roosevelt/wise-and-prudent-men-and-intelligent-conservatives-have-long-known/) [Franklin D. Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-d-roosevelt/) > [It’s really critical to have your dream life in your mind so that you’re constantly adjusting and designing your business in such a way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blake-roney/it-s-really-critical-to-have-your-dream-life-in-your-mind-so-that-you/) [Blake Roney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blake-roney/) > [“There are four ways to adjust a recipe: adjusting the number of portions yielded, changing the size of the portions, yielding a specific number…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruby-parker-puckett/there-are-four-ways-to-adjust-a-recipe-adjusting-the-number-of/) [Ruby Parker Puckett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruby-parker-puckett/) > [Talent is important, and some background as well. This really is not beginner's school. I want to work with people that have achieved a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vlatko-stefanovski/talent-is-important-and-some-background-as-well-this-really-is-not/) Vlatko Stefanovski > [I don't mean to imply that we are in imminent danger of being wiped off the face of the earth - at least, not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eileen-claussen/i-don-t-mean-to-imply-that-we-are-in-imminent-danger-of-being-wiped/) [Eileen Claussen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eileen-claussen/) Browse all 170 Adjusting quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Joy requires one to be awake, Adjusting the heart's ambience to bright. Some prefer the dark, as is their right, On grounds of agony, and to forsake Not only bliss, but all that's blessed by light.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Nick Gordon" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-gordon/joy-requires-one-to-be-awake-adjusting-the-heart-s-ambience-to-bright/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Adjusting" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-gordon/joy-requires-one-to-be-awake-adjusting-the-heart-s-ambience-to-bright/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/899/nick-gordon-33980_adjusting_joy-requires-one-to-be-awake-adjusting-t_1906274.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/899/nick-gordon-33980_adjusting_joy-requires-one-to-be-awake-adjusting-t_1906274.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/899/nick-gordon-33980_adjusting_joy-requires-one-to-be-awake-adjusting-t_1906274.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Joy requires one to be awake, Adjusting the heart's ambience to bright. Some prefer the dark, as is their…” — Nick Gordon", "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": "Nick Gordon", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-gordon/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Joy requires one to be awake,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-gordon/joy-requires-one-to-be-awake-adjusting-the-heart-s-ambience-to-bright/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-gordon/joy-requires-one-to-be-awake-adjusting-the-heart-s-ambience-to-bright/#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 } } ] } ```