The Acceptance of Suffering

Inevitably we falter. Inevitably the slow cycle of boredom and suffering begins to hurt us. Many of us choose busyness, filling our lives with activities and screens because the slowness and mundanity of regular life is too much for us. So movement ensues. We work not for our own survival but to fill but the empty spaces between after our basic needs are met. As much as it is a cliche to say life is short, life is also somehow incredibly long. Our lives are like movies except the editor kept in all the mundane parts like brushing one’s teeth or binge-watching a show.

Kids and work are ways to fill these empty spaces. So do our partners and friends. So do media and art. Tv shows, movies, music, video games, and great food or wine are all wonderful. But is that enough? It depends. Some people amazingly don’t seem to have mental health problems despite the mental health crisis happening in the United States. I often wonder how they do it or if there is something missing from this picture? I am often very joyful and content. I am lucky to have a loving partner, a job I love, hobbies I enjoy like writing, good friends, and enough money to afford a nice meal or vacation here and there. I also live in Manhattan, which I love.

But also I am a wet sponge of sensitivity and emotion. I absorb all around me, especially when people are hurting, and this means I am often melancholic…