Suffering in Another Lifetime Entirely
- Oct. 7, 2021, 1:44 p.m.
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- Public
It almost feels juvenile to sit here thinking and questioning what our purpose is, as humans. That being said, I can’t help but notice: all I see is suffering. We’re designed in such a way that we are in constant turmoil, both inside and out. So terribly fragile and full of need. There are so many layers of this in all aspects of life that it’s really difficult for me to imagine we’re here for anything BUT suffering. It’s so essential to the human experience that possibly, it’s the whole point.
I’m trying to look back at times in my life that held the most meaning. It’s the suffering I had endured that made it mean anything at all. We hold fast to the good memories and remember them as we want to remember them. I do wonder if there’s something wrong with me or if other people also have a hard time remembering things as they were. I’d like to think I know all that I’ve endured, but I’m sure a large part of my memories have faded to questions. It may be for the sake of peace, rather than just to rob me of them. Either way, I see the harshness of the current truth everywhere and I feel the mistakes of my past aching in my scars. We’re not meant for a “fixed” kind of happiness.
Indulgence seems to be a well worn path to self destruction. There’s a price for comfort. There’s a punishment for existence. How do I make this worth the cost?
A Pedestrian Wandering ⋅ October 07, 2021
"I see the harshness of the current truth everywhere and I feel the mistakes of my past aching in my scars." This is a lovely bit of writing. I think we all do this kind of searching for meaning in certain times of our lives. It feels as though something is missing in us but we cannot put our finger on it. We live in a world of experiences and as we move from one to the next, there are brief times, lulls, when we must wonder what will happen next. I think we grow not just from these experiences but also by knowing who we are without or beyond them. Growing pains.
Sleepy-Eyed John A Pedestrian Wandering ⋅ October 07, 2021
Great note. :)
Deleted user ⋅ October 07, 2021
Few people in the Western world know shit about what true "suffering" is. Or starvation or any true sense of deprivation.
Sleepy-Eyed John Deleted user ⋅ October 07, 2021
While I agree that Pleasantville USA is better for most than for example South Africa I know many people in the western world who have experienced suffering. I also think subjectively we all want meaning in life despite our relative pain. While saying "toughen up" is often on point I think it's fair to feel your life. I think if you're honest with yourself most people in the western world understand they're likely not experiencing the really dramatic pain of some others but it's still real to them. A concentration camp survivor (I believe) was quoted in a book I read saying when you choose not to relieve torment you become the tormentor. But I hear ya.