Sweet are the uses of Adversity

No matter how bad things are, you can always make things worse.

 --Randy Pausch, The Last Lecture.  

Duke Senior:

Sweet are the uses of adversity,

Which, like the toad, ugly and venomous,

Wears yet a precious jewel in his head;

And this our life, exempt from public haunt,

Finds tongues in trees, books in the running brooks,

Sermons in stones, and good in every thing.

 --As You Like It, Act 2, scene 1, 12-17 

 I have not read this play of Shakespeare. It was not on the lifetime reading plan I follow, although the suggestions ultimately led to reading all his plays. I have not done that, but I admire greatly the insight that he displayed. However, I came across a brief explanation at enotes.com of the well-known first line upon which I would like to reflect.

The duke is describing the view of the world events have forced him to adopt. You see, his villainous brother has deposed him. The “adversity” referred to is that event and of which he has found “sweet uses.” He compares his suffering, such as exposure to the elements, to an ugly toad. According to legend, the toad has a precious jewel in its temple that had healing qualities. The jewel he has discovered, the use or profit of adversity he has discovered, is freedom from the public haunt of society. The duke concludes that nature "speaks" more eloquently and truly than tongues, books and sermons; stones turn out to be better company than courtiers are.

The duke's metaphor now seems far-fetched, as it may also have seemed to Shakespeare's audience. Nevertheless, "sweet are the uses of adversity" survives as somewhat preciously sincere words of comfort, when not uttered sarcastically.

Most of us wrestle with suffering, either in our lives personally or in the lives of family and friends. When young, it just seemed like life should be better than what I had experienced. Today, as I have aged, I have come to accept the reality that a world with suffering and evil is the world we have. In most things, I can honestly say that God has worked in everything for good (Romans 8:28). In some things, I have the hope that will be the case.

Yes, Shakespeare, the uses of which we make adversity may well be sweet. It does not make adversity itself any less bitter.