Please enjoy the piece below written early in 2012. While I am on vacation this week, I wanted to offer you this bit of inspiration.

Humans have pondered the reasons for suffering for a long
time. I was raised as a Jew born just after the atrocities of WWII.  Surrounding me were parents and other adults asking in grief and rage,“Why did such horrific events happen to us (Jews)?” I heard declarations “Never Again” and I heard “There is no God: No just God
would allow this”.

I am part of the generation that came after, the babies born
as soldiers returned. When coming of age, I turned my nose up at the bobby
socks, and the dancing of my parents’ era and dubbed my generation much
superior in understanding issues. Why were parents so complacent!

In my 40’s I read “The Rescuers” by Drucker and Block
where I was struck by the depth of the trauma that was WWII. Even my parents
had not comprehended the severity of the wound of the war, and certainly, I had
not understood its psychological impact on humanity. The trauma had been so
great the 50’s were needed for recovery, a period of “normalcy” to heal deep
wounds.

Now we are sitting at the change point of a new era of consciousness.
What can I discern about the place of suffering?
The attitude we hold each day is what matters.
These days I think suffering comes as part of the gin of expansion of the Universe. The anguish creates great rockets of desire. The suffering wakes us, and its energy gives us bounce to a new direction.

Looking at the history of individuals we become inspired to
reach almost beyond what’s imaginable as when an individual models a heroic
response to suffering. This is the stuff of sainthood and prophets—and there
are examples among us, e.g. the person who receives cancer treatment while
maintaining humor and lightness despite their fear and suffering. The dignity
in our response represents featured purpose.

In the movie Invictus about Nelson Mandela and rugby: Matt
Damon says I am curious what allows a man to come  out of a prison cell after 30 years of
confinement, forgive his captors and exemplify graciousness. What kind of man
spurns revenge to lead the call for a rebirth of a nation unified in its
diversity?

When experiencing trauma, we find out of what we are
capable. We are tested. We are forced to grow dramatically, exponentially. We
are infused with the energy of the crisis. Both as an individual and as a
symbolic figure of humankind we choose to believe in ourselves and each other.
Instead of thinking bitterly and judging our fellows harshly, we decide to
process the pain and open again. We turn to what good we can do and proceed. Heroically,  we rise up and turn to birthing the next
evolution: painful and wondrous, bloody in afterbirth and shimmering with
possibility.

Do you have a reaction? You know I love to hear from you. Send to jpearl@streamofyes.com.