There’s a word that captures the paradox of extremes in a simple moment: apricity. Apricity means the warmth of the sun in the cold of winter. Not the blazing heat of summer, not searing rays, not sweltering heat, but warmth that exists in spite of the cold, brisk air; that distinction matters.
Much of modern life asks us to resolve a tension that cannot be cleanly resolved. Focus on joy or focus on suffering, yet, how to remain open to joy while living in a world that is, undeniably, heavy. Suffering is not abstract. It is visible, palpable, and often overwhelming in ways that impact us personally, relationally, globally. And yet, alongside it, moments of beauty and joy persist with stubborn, almost defiant regularity.
Apricity offers a framework for understanding this paradox. We cannot eliminate suffering, but we can create space for which joy can endure alongside suffering. We can welcome this tension and hold both.
– James Ahearn (He/Him), JD, LPC, NCC