Why a meaningful life is impossible without suffering

[the13bats]

 

50 minutes ago, Freez1 said:

It’s human nature to except for life to be perfect. Regardless what anyone says they already know this. But yet you still expect it to be and when it’s not some people go out of their mind. And most write it off as lessons learned by the school of hard knocks. You live and learn and nothing about life is easy. You pick up what you have and go forward not backwards. True love is two words that you bet on it’s not a guarantee. Friends come and go like money and nothing in life is free. But you learn from mistakes and grow wiser this is the fun part later on in life that you will find yourself looking back at wondering how to you then it felt like the end of the world but now years later it’s hard to believe it upset you that much then. And life does get better just stop looking for it to be perfect and one day it will be trust in time.

I have to grind on it but i really cant say i ran into anyone who had some expectations of a perfect life nor do i know people who melt down over it not being the case.

I will say some folks cope better and or have a better outlook than others, joc on here presents a good story if true he has it down no question.

Others do not cope as well, my mom was an example she died a few years ago at 90 pining away over 45 years for my dad who left her, so it did in a way end her world she didnt look back and think is was nothing.

People simply are not one size fits all we are very complex creatures each of us very different each with strengths and weaknesses individual to each of us.

 

[darkmoonlady]

Interesting philosophical concept. I guess my next question is, has anyone ever lived their entire life with no suffering? What qualifies as suffering. Eventually we all suffer from either a medical issue or old age. But even people who look like they aren't suffering might go through life with some horrible affliction.

[Bendy Demon]

Sometimes people create their own suffering, as 13bats mentioned, by obsessing over a past event for decades and not making an effort to just accept what is and learn to go on.

However I wonder just how we define 'suffering'; is it largely subjective and relative? Are we too quick to label any adversity or any day that doesn't fit our definition of 'perfect' as suffering? No doubt there are circumstances and conditions that do cause suffering but even at that I think we have a choice in how we react. We can continue to wallow endlessly in misery hoping someone will feel sorry for us and solve our problems or we can change our mindset; effectively lifting ourselves out of our own dark cloud -at least to some degree- by finding something, anything to help us see happiness or peace.

Even if it is something as tiny as watching a chipmunk dashing around or spotting the iridescent blue flower of a common 'weed'.

Myself I have back issues and some days my back hurts and makes my body feel stiff; is it uncomfortable? Yeah but it is what it is and I don't label the discomfort as 'suffering'. I don't know, I am not trying to sound like some Buddhist monk who thinks everything can be solved with 'happy thoughts' or 24 hour long/ 7 days a week/ 365 days a year because in life there is true sorrow and pain and sometimes that pain is not gonna go away just because you look at rainbows or chant some mantra. Sometimes you just have to let it be and contemplate it without letting it consume you which is why I feel that at some point it is important to create a buffer between yourself and that pain.

In the end, life is life. We humans like to compartmentalize everything as if each aspect is completely separate from everything else.

My apologies..I ramble..

P.S: the13bats..I did not mean to focus on you but used what you said as a example or something. I meant no harm.