Talking about Suffering

Talking about Suffering

Over this past weekend, I listened to a woman speak about the loss of her son.  He suffered from a challenging condition that resulted in her being his primary caregiver from birth to his late teenage years when he passed.  It was difficult for me to listen to her talk, as I thought about my own family and children.  It is never easy to hear about the suffering of others or about the general suffering in our world.  Too often, I feel that I get wrapped up in my day-to-day life without stepping back and appreciating all the blessings that come my way.

I understand that life is not fair and that this world has an abundance of suffering and tragedy.  However, I have an evolving view of the importance of hope and faith in the future, and my last executive coach would be tickled pink to hear me utter that phrase.  I do not expect the world to become a miraculously humane and “fair” existence, but I know that I can continue to try to make my small slice of it a little better through the words and actions that I take every day.

I want to work towards a greater appreciation of the mysteries of life and how it all works together in the ineffable plan (Mr. Pratchett and Mr. Gaiman, please forgive me for stealing the concept, but I loved your book.)  While I do not possess a deterministic view, I believe that life has a purpose, and we have a role to play in it.  I do not feel I need to understand to have a deep appreciation for it.

Sorry for the general ramblings but listening to someone who is experienced so much has given me a moment to pause and assess many elements of my life that I take for granted.  We all should be shaken up periodically as it provides us with an opportunity for some introspection.

I am meditating on these thoughts and ideas as I have done since listening to her talk.  Life is precious, and the moments we share are the essence of our connection to family, friendships, and communities.  Our social circles and businesses are made up of people, and people matter.

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