Mourning dove: a beautiful name for a creature. Especially when you know what it sounds like. They really do sound sad, and being sad is a good thing. Sad sounds are soothing and peaceful:
Mourning Dove
“It is better to go to a house of mourning
than to go to a house of feasting,
for death is the destiny of everyone;
the living should take this to heart.
Frustration is better than laughter,
because a sad face is good for the heart.
The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning,
but the heart of fools is in the house of pleasure.”
The term “joy” is often confused with the word “bubbly.” Joy runs deep and cannot be shaken. It’s a permanent state of contentment that is centered in Christ. It has nothing to do with how happy we are or what emotional state we are generally in. It’s fine to be sad. In fact it’s good for us.
The mourning dove is on to something with the soothing sound it makes. We should listen and let our songs be sad too sometimes. It’s good for our hearts to sing sad songs.
Here’s one: Go to Dark Gethsemane.