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bereavement
June 2009 
How do you respond to suffering?
Posted on Jun 25th, 2008
by 
barefootgirl42
barefootgirl42
This is in Response to the Questions and Reflections for June 25, 2008:
Chocolate and bundling myself under soft blankets. :)
Well, sometimes. But my response to suffering really depends on the level and type of suffering, since there are SO many different types. If I'm not enjoying myself at all with something relatively common (work issues, etc.) , I tend to talk it out with ANYONE around me. I talk my mouth off to weigh out all the pros and cons and see if I can keep a clear mind to come up with the correct way of handling the issue. I do have the tendency to blow things completely out of proportion and make them a bigger deal that they actual are, so I try to notice when that happens and try to remain level-headed.
With larger kinds of suffering, such as the death of a loved one, I wallow in my grief, and talk out my emotions with friends and family. I also try to give myself something to do, something to busy myself with so that I learn to enjoy other aspects of life. And I grow stronger by getting through suffering.
And then there are those injust types of suffering where we are discrimnated against for an aspect of ourselves we may not be able to change, or want to change (religion, race, class, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, etc.). For that type of suffering, I try to think it out and try to figure out a solution. In the case of prejudice, the best solution is to educate future generations to keep an open mind. Or decide to acknowledge that we all hold prejudice of some kinds, and decide that we will observe when we ourselves are displaying judgment and prejudice and make the promise that we will attempt to keep an open mind while activitely pursuing that goal.
I could go on, but I'll stop there. :)
Have a peaceful day, all of you!
Take care,
Jenna
Well, sometimes. But my response to suffering really depends on the level and type of suffering, since there are SO many different types. If I'm not enjoying myself at all with something relatively common (work issues, etc.) , I tend to talk it out with ANYONE around me. I talk my mouth off to weigh out all the pros and cons and see if I can keep a clear mind to come up with the correct way of handling the issue. I do have the tendency to blow things completely out of proportion and make them a bigger deal that they actual are, so I try to notice when that happens and try to remain level-headed.
With larger kinds of suffering, such as the death of a loved one, I wallow in my grief, and talk out my emotions with friends and family. I also try to give myself something to do, something to busy myself with so that I learn to enjoy other aspects of life. And I grow stronger by getting through suffering.
And then there are those injust types of suffering where we are discrimnated against for an aspect of ourselves we may not be able to change, or want to change (religion, race, class, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, etc.). For that type of suffering, I try to think it out and try to figure out a solution. In the case of prejudice, the best solution is to educate future generations to keep an open mind. Or decide to acknowledge that we all hold prejudice of some kinds, and decide that we will observe when we ourselves are displaying judgment and prejudice and make the promise that we will attempt to keep an open mind while activitely pursuing that goal.
I could go on, but I'll stop there. :)
Have a peaceful day, all of you!
Take care,
Jenna
Access: PublicTagged with: QaR, suffering, sorrow, life, others, injustice, prejudice, troubles, difficulties, problems, solutions, living, chocolate, blankets, talking, discussing, friends, family, clear mind, open-mindedness, grief, death, bereavement, loss, busy, strength, discrimination, thinking, promises, goal
