hard and easy

In Zen Buddhism, there is a saying ... and if there were ever a truer one, I don't know it. The saying is:

The hard part is easy. The easy part is hard.

True for those inclined towards Zen Buddhism, true for those who could give a shit about Zen Buddhism.

Pain and suffering and worries and the daily grind can be overwhelmingly hard. No refined chit-chat can ease the scene. This is hard-hard-hard. The longing to be eased and relieved ... well, it's no joke.

But when everything is smooth as Vaseline on a thermometer, when laughter and love light up the night skies, when things are consumingly OK ... who in their right mind would call it into question? That would be churlish and stupid.

And still:

The hard part is easy. The easy part is hard.