ON SUFFERING

ONE OF THE GIVENS IN LIFE. SUFFERING. YOU CAN'T AVOID IT. LIFE IS FULL OF IT. WE ARE BORN, GROW OLD, AND DIE. IN THE PROCESS, WE SUFFER. THERE IS NO GETTING AWAY FROM IT. WE ASK THE QUESTION: WHY DO HUMANS SUFFER? WHAT ARE WE TO DO? I TRY TO COUNTER SUFFERING WITH COMPASSION, BOTH FOR MYSELF AND OTHERS.SOME DAYS SUFFERING OVERWHELMS MY BEST INTENTIONS. IT BLANKETS ME WITH DESPAIR AND GRIEF. IN THOSE TIMES I LOOK AT MY WIFE, MY DOG, PICTURES OF MY TWO CHILDREN. THE GRASS, TREES, THE SKY. I SEE AN E-MAIL FROM AN OLD FRIEND. RENEW OLD FRIENDSHIPS ON FACEBOOK. THE WONDER AND BEAUTY OF IT ALL. ONE THING TODAY. TOMORROW ANOTHER. MY COMPASSION COMES FROM TRYING TO UNDERSTAND IMPERMANENCE. FOR EVERYTHING THAT I HAVE, IT WILL ALL VANISH.  IT IS THIS MOMENT THAT I NEED TO MOST CHERISH. NOW. THAT IS THE MIRACLE.