Grief takes care of itself. Joy needs someone to share it.

What it means

Sorrow will find its way whether or not you share it. Joy only reaches full value when someone else shares it. Call someone when good news comes.

The source

"Grief takes care of itself. Joy needs someone to share it." Mark Twain said it in Following the Equator (1897), ch. 48, Pudd'nhead Wilson's New Calendar. Written in English: Following the Equator, 1897.

"Grief can take care of itself; but to get the full value of a joy you must have somebody to divide it with."

Original English (Following the Equator, 1897), Following the Equator (1897), ch. 48, Pudd'nhead Wilson's New Calendar. Text read at gutenberg.org.

Who said it

Mark Twain (1835–1910). American humorist and novelist. His sharpest one-liners appear as Pudd'nhead Wilson's Calendar in Pudd'nhead Wilson (1894) and Following the Equator (1897).

Questions

What does "Grief takes care of itself. Joy needs someone to share it." mean?

Sorrow will find its way whether or not you share it. Joy only reaches full value when someone else shares it. Call someone when good news comes.

Who said "Grief takes care of itself. Joy needs someone to share it."?

Mark Twain (1835–1910). Source: Following the Equator (1897), ch. 48, Pudd'nhead Wilson's New Calendar.

What is the original wording?

Grief can take care of itself; but to get the full value of a joy you must have somebody to divide it with (Original English (Following the Equator, 1897)). Written in English: Following the Equator, 1897.

Is "Grief takes care of itself. Joy needs someone to share it." on a shirt?

Yes. We print it to order on our tees in 7 illustrated looks, from $44, with free US shipping.

"Grief takes care of itself. Joy needs someone to share it." (Mark Twain, Following the Equator (1897), ch. 48, Pudd'nhead Wilson's New Calendar, trans. Original English (Following the Equator, 1897)). https://spartansurfers.com/quotes/grief-takes-care-of-itself-joy-needs-someone