Suffering

St. Francis of Assis once wrote a poem that I love. It was called "Anyone Who Suffered. ' It goes like this 'I would not leave this earth until God promised me my hands could always touch the face of anyone who suffered.'

Suffering is one of those conditions that have so many different levels, different approaches, and different learnings for us. It is the basic foundation of Buddhism. It is the facet of our lives that will always promote spiritual growth. It is at the same time something that is human's least favorite part of life.

We just love habit and comfort and routine; we love all of this as long as change is not involved. Yet change is the big constant that is always involved. It happens all the time irrespective of anything else. It eats up time, it intrudes on lessons, and it rushes across all parts of how we show up.

Yet I am reminded of a wonderful Twilight episode from so long ago. Aliens landed on earth and were everywhere. They were the ultimate in co-dependency and had come to be helpful. They were there to protect us and promote safety. Before too long all dangerous jobs had been eliminated and taken over by aliens. This included tasks such as cooking (we could get burned); making love (we might throw our backs out!); along with so many other parts of normal human life.

In stepping away from change, the aliens helped us step away from any type of freedom or independence and eventually earth became the most bland planet in the universe. It just didn't work.

In another blog, I talked about motivation versus paralyization. The truth of suffering is that it is a healthy way to motivate us. It will move us into change and into becoming more of who we are.

So that is why I love the poem by St. Francis. In the end, he implies that holding sacred space for someone who is suffering is the most powerful and profound way of seeing and being with that other person. It builds intimacy.

I remember a long time ago when a friend of mine contracted leukemia. In the last month of her life, I moved in with her. I remember we didn't spend a great deal of time in discussion. Our time was spent together often in silence holding space with each other. It was enough for both of us that we weren't alone. It brought her peace and when I realized how much it helped her it brought me peace.

Sharing time together in times of suffering is a powerful way to have two Divine beings really see and value each other. Share time together in the future knowing how valuable it is.