"ignore the story. see the soul. remember to love. you will never regret it" --- Seane Corn

"ignore the story. see the soul. remember to love. you will never regret it" --- Seane Corn
it's a jungle out there

Saturday, December 11, 2010

Suffering


There's a whole lot of suffering going on.

I had this thought on my way to work.
And at the same time I thought no wonder we created religion

We have too.
There is no other way to explain the place that suffering occupies in our existance as a species.

Unless life just sucks and then we die.

Now, I'm not saying our suffering is proof of anything beyond this life.
Nor am I saying that our suffering serves any purpose at all.
But it exists.
And it tortures us.
And maybe as humans with our oversized brains, we have to make things overly complicated.
We have to explain and understand and rationalize and punish.
We need rules.
When we break the rules we suffer.
When we commit transgressions we suffer.

Yet sometimes we are innocent and find ourselves in the crosshairs of a tsunami or crosstown bus or a violent military regime or a misfire in a cell's nucleus that results in cancer.
And we suffer.

We suffer because we are human.
We make mistakes because we're human.
We make sucky decisions because we're human.

I work really really hard to do the best I can. And still I fuck up.
I'm only human.
And maybe humans fuck up, or maybe we just exist, but no matter what we suffer.

So. There must be a point to all the suffering.

Or not

I have found that my suffering breeds compassion.
Today I am grinch butt free. Today I am giving thanks.
Today I can get lost in my patients and feel their suffering because I'm experiencing my own.

So. I am responsible for the choices I make.
I am human. I fuck up. And then I suffer.
And others suffer too.

But I am thankful that the Universe gives me a silver lining of compassion
rather than bitterness or anger or hatred.

At least for now.


9 comments:

  1. Suffering and religion- ah, the two go hand in hand and I think you're right. We created religion to explain suffering and to give us the promise that it will all work in our favor when we die.
    But I don't believe that. I believe that suffering just is part of the human condition (as do you) and that it is what we do with it and how we get through it which gives it the only meaning it can have.
    And that there is no sin in any of it- just...it is.
    And I do not believe for one second that there is any good to be found in suffering that which is not ours to suffer.
    Love you so...M

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  2. Ditto Ms. Moon. Love and blessings to you --

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  3. I have been finding that being of service to the families and kids at work helps me to put my own 'suffering' into perspective. Getting lost in it is a good way to put it...

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  4. Yep. Yep yepyepyepyep. Yep. What were those YEP things called on the muppets? I feel like one of those guys today. I feel very agreeable with you. It could be because you're right. Could be my cold medicine. Who knows?

    *If you responded to my email, the filter followed your lead and just ate it. No matter. I'm here with you in the suffering and the thankfulness.

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  5. I believe in God. Religion........it's ingrained deep within me.

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  6. Your patients are lucky to have you.

    You are in my thoughts. I love you so.

    SB

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  7. I heard this at mass recently. To be in misery...to suffer, is a blessing...because it is in suffering that we are drawn closer to God.
    When things are smooth, and good, and easy..we take it all for granted.
    But for me..when I am kicked on my ass, I turn to God...
    and I always come out back on my feet.

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  8. Everyone in your life is lucky you're there.

    I don't believe in an active deity, so I can't say I think suffering has a purpose. Sometimes things just suck.

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so... wadaya think?

Your fairy is called Columbine Icedancer
She is a bone chilling bringer of justice for the vulnerable.
She lives in mushroom fields and quiet meadows.
She is only seen when the bees swarm and the crickets chirrup.
She wears lilac and purple like columbine flowers. She has icy blue butterfly wings.