Humanity is suffering on a global scale. The world has always experienced suffering, but now we can record those moments and project them out into the world through TV sets, computers, and smartphones. Suffering is shared millions of times a day. The definition even has a dismal connotation: going viral. I have seen people shot, tsunamis engulf entire cities, and pedestrians plowed over by speeding cars. Most of these images I didn’t even want to see, but these videos have become the norm in mainstream news, delivering complete destruction instantly to my mobile device.
Suffering is here. How are you dealing with it? Why aren’t we asking this question? We are all being bombarded with suffering that is not even ours on a daily basis. How do you manage all of this suffering?
Some people fear suffering. They bury their heads in the sand like an ostrich when they see it coming. What they don’t see won’t hurt them. When it comes to living life, fear-filled people tuck themselves into the herd, seeking security in numbers. If the herd becomes an angry mob, they quietly escape, avoiding danger at all costs. Sadly, this fear of suffering leads to isolation. Fear stifles life; but, nowadays we have so many apps, video games, and seasons of Seinfeld on DVD that we remain distracted enough to ignore our true passions.
Some people hate suffering. They revolt like angry children when they suffer, blaming everything and everyone for their pain. If our infinite sky has ears to hear, I am sure it has heard a plethora of curse words shouted at the name “God” over the millennia, blaming he, or she, for all of life’s suffering. Hate for suffering doesn’t make it go away. It only exacerbates the problem. The world has enough hate right now. This choice isn’t making it easier.
Fear and hate are only two approaches to suffering. There is a multitude of options. Some people dive into suffering and stay there, becoming so familiar with misery that they never find a way out. This is depression. Others people choose the opposite and seek pleasure. They attempt to drown out suffering with sex, drugs, and rock n’ roll. This leads to addiction. No matter what your choice is, suffering persists.
Am I the only one noticing that we are not handling suffering very well? Suffering has been with us since the first stories were recorded thousands of years ago, but it doesn’t seem like we have evolved with it. Meanwhile, suffering appears to be growing. It is piling up and weighing us down on a global scale. It is time that we confront this matter. I would like to offer my help to those who feel bogged down by the daily distresses we have to endure.
The first thing we need to know is the truth. The truth is that all of life is suffering. Deal with it. There’s no reason to sugarcoat it. Maybe if we start with this, if we understand and accept this truth, then we will not have to deal with adults acting like bratty children when suffering lands on their doorstep. Suffering is life, and life is suffering. This is the truth, and the truth will set you free.
The second thing that will help is recognizing that suffering is not personal. Everyone suffers, not just you. Please stop thinking that others do not. Even our favorite heroes, like Jesus, Buddha, and Luke Skywalker, had to suffer. No one has ever pulled off the ultimate trick of entering this life in perfect peace and leaving it all without a scratch. No one gets out unscathed. No one. Stop looking for a way to avoid the inevitable. If you find yourself having a tough time with compassion in life, this is where you’ll find it. We all suffer. Your neighbors. Your mother. Kim and Kanye. Everyone.
The third thing that I would like to share with you is a solution. Is there a chance that you can make suffering work for you? Think about it. Suffering is here to stay, so why not transform it into an opportunity? Think about the things you are most proud of in your life. They probably involved suffering. Do you like your car? You had to work hard and sacrifice fun-time to earn it. Proud of your house? The answer is the same. How about your family? Anyone who is proud of their family knows that you cannot buy in an instant what takes time, sacrifice, and love to build. When approached in a tolerant manner, suffering will work for you.
I have heard someone say, “Life is suffering, but suffering doesn’t have to define you.” I disagree completely. How you handle suffering is exactly what defines you in this life. It separates the cowardly from the courageous. I am a father. I am The Legendary Daddy. I brought my children into this life to suffer. Every parent who decides to have a child agrees to this, whether they are conscious of it or not. I will prepare my family for suffering. I will teach them to meet their suffering with courage, wisdom, and compassion for those who suffer alongside them. This is where we will find peace in this world, in understanding that we are one love, one heart, and one humanity, learning through suffering.
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