Suffering

“When another person makes you suffer, it is because he suffers deeply within himself, and his suffering is spilling over. He does not need punishment; he needs help. That's the message he is sending.”

                                                                                                     Thich Nhat Hanh

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There is so much suffering in this world

Suffering created by arrogance

Suffering created by hate

Suffering created by violence

And fear

Suffering created by greed

And lies

So many lies

It is hard for me to remember sometimes

That suffering comes from suffering

That those who lie and kill

Who stir up hate

Who exclude and judge

Who use power to minimize

And control

Are really people who

(whether they know it or not)

Are suffering at their core

They have souls that have been shriveled

Sometimes by abuse and violence

Some times by privilege and affluence

Which is why

Responding in kind does not work

It simply does not work

Our world does not need anger

Fear

Brutality

That will not save it.

It needs compassion

It needs generosity

It needs open minds

Open heart

Open minds

It is not easy work

It does not always seem to be effective

But ultimately

It is

the

only

way

when will we ever learn?