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Joan - Thank you so much for writing this little piece. This would apply to any of us, whether we are PWP or CG. I feel sorry for those who have so much pity for themselves that that is all they talk about. You are a true blessing. Jo Ann On Sun, 10 Apr 2005 17:42:52 -0500 Joan Snyder <[log in to unmask]> writes: > Suffering and pain > > I do not know who ever promised me a life without suffering and > pain. I > have heard it said on this list that suffering is a medieval concept > without any benefit or grace to be earned by enduring it . This, I > feel, > is a gross misrepresentation of life as anyone who lives this journey > will tell you. Life is filled with hurts, pain and suffering and also > with man’s inhumanity to man. Only by living and dealing with those > things that I cannot change, can you ever really find peace. I think > that these brilliant minds say it better than i can: > > “My personal trials have also taught me the value of unmerited > suffering. As my sufferings mounted I soon realized that there were > two > ways that I could respond to my situation: either to react with > bitterness or seek to transform the suffering into a creative force. > I > decided to follow the latter course. Recognizing the necessity for > suffering I have tried to make of it virtue. If only to save myself > from > bitterness, I have attempted to see my personal ordeals as an > opportunity to transform myself and heal the people involved in the > tragic situation, which now obtains. I have lived these last few > years > with the conviction that unearned suffering is redemptive.” > Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. > “Although the world is full of suffering, it is full also of the > overcoming of it. <http://www.quotationspage.com/quote/1632.html>” > Helen > Keller > “Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through > experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, > ambition > inspired, and success achieved. > <http://www.quotationspage.com/quote/30186.html>" Helen Keller > “We could never learn to be brave and patient, if there were only > joy in > the world. <http://www.quotationspage.com/quote/2332.html>” Helen > Keller > “It requires more courage to suffer than to die.” Napoleone Bonaparte > “The salvation of the world is in man’s suffering.” William Faulkner > “If you suffer, thank God! It is a sure sign that you are alive.” > Elbert > Hubbard > “Suffering becomes beautiful when anyone bears great calamities with > cheerfulness, not through insensibility but through greatness of > mind.” > Aristotle > “We are healed of suffering only by experiencing it in full.” Marcel > Proust > > While I too, would love to live in a perfect world and I would never > go > out and deliberately look for ways to torture myself, I do not see > any > way to avoid having suffering and pain in my life. Oh, there is one > more > quote…it’s in my signature file: > > -- > Joan Blessington Snyder 54/14 > [log in to unmask] > http://www.pwnkle.com/jes/jes_web/index.htm > “Hang tough……..no way through it but to do it.” > Chris in the Morning Northern Exposure > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: > mailto:[log in to unmask] > In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn