suffering

[solarbound11]

we all suffer. each of us, horribly, in our way, in our time. this is one of the richest and most deeply textured levels of our existence. there is no life that is not filled with suffering, even if it is for a reason not deemed to be worthy by others. perhaps it is not suffering that is so important, but what we do with it that determines its necessity in our life. do we choose to learn, to grow more compassionate and understanding toward ourselves, toward others? if we do not, do we repeat the details of our suffering until we do, and then we move on to other levels of the construct we call suffering? someone who overcomes a massive drug addiction to find they have more compassion and understanding of themselves and others suffering similarly are not freed from suffering for the rest of their days; yet they perhaps are free of that particular brand of it, depending on what they have done with it. so is it (perhaps) that these states of suffering are just that, methods of pruning ourselves so we can grow into a higher level of existence where lurk other states of suffering meant to prune us and shape us as we grow higher and higher toward the best we can become...
or maybe i am drunk again, at least on my way to that happy place.
i have deleted the rest of this as it just seemed to get too personal and that's about the last thing i really want right now. dave, thanks for your comment, i agree and appreciate your sentiments and we can get together whenever you want to and have time.