The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current, October 14, 1983, Page Page 5, Image 5
Friday, October 14, 1C33 Daily Ncbrc:kcn Peso 5 kelpo one find true contentment V ' S The basic, motivating force of human material, Intellectual and spiritual en deavor is the experience of sufTerlng. We create physical thlng3 because we suffer, In varying degrees, front the lack of them. We also create religions and philosophies In order to mentaljy and emotionally come to terras with the profound experience of personal sum sucku sunenng. V t ) Krishna Mnrlnn This experience of suffering can be either a creative or a destructive force in our lives, depending on the way we react to it. Unfortunately, the expe rience of hurt and injustice often causes people to become bitter, hard and crueL Those who react to suffering in this way in turn cause more suffering in the world. However, the experience of suffering also can become a moral force that transcends and transforms the agony of suffering into a quiet joy and love that enriches one's life and the lives of fellow humans. The person who carries with her a profound sense of human suffering is better able to deal with personal mis fortune because she sees it in the whole context of human suffering. More over, this personal misfortune provides a chance for her to reacquaint herself with the similar problems that her fel low humans face every day. In becomelng aware of the problems of another person, the individual be gins to bridge one of the fundamental gaps in human consciousness the gap between the personal experiences , of different individuals. When the individual transforms thb awareness of the problems of another into a commitment to act on. those I problems the 'glp. is' overcome! In its place a powerful emotional and spirit- , usl bond emerges among the individu als who have shared their experiences and now share a commitment to under stand each other's problems and to reduce Each other's suffering. The stronger the trust In this commitment, the more the joy and love that the indi viduals derive from the relationship. This process takes place not only in personal relationships but also in gen eral social interaction. A profound sense of the suffering of humanity makes one better able to deal with those who haw become hard and bit ter as a result of their suffering. The result is that instead of developing antagonistic relationships with those around whom she feels uncomforta ble, the individual shows a concern that usually will be reciprocated even tually. Even in the more general sense of being aware of and working on human itarian problems, the individual Is able to bridge the gap of private conscious ness and develop a human conscious ness that transcends the individual experience. As in personal relationships, this also leads to a powerful emotional and spiritual bond. The emotional and spiritual power of these personal, social and humanit arian bonds is what religions have tried to create with varying degrees of success. Religious leaders and philo sophers have realized that true happi ness comes from the attempt to find meaningfulness in suffering that ever-present element in human life. The truly happy person, then, is not the person who ignores misfortune and suffering. The really happy or contented per son is the one who can take account of personal and social misfortune and suffering and transform these expe ences into attitudes and suffering and transform these experiencs into atti tudes that produce both personal and social joy and contentment. Lb IS IS 'IN' ) Ujl j U f J er ic InJIAInJ Is U (r Is M n lA V v. 7A ' AND . v: ME TRACilERZ ' ; SUNDAY, CC70ZIR 10 ti C:CD pni DELIAS' (A UNION CINTSLTsSlAL' HO 2C3 v;:i!i U;:L Clu.'rni ID end belli fw!:rc:!3 Ur.!:n3. p., . n n n n rlf i UO-'3UL J LwoJ ;:ULJULJ. E3BreTt&&'wirc!.V::sJ9,WKfflB!ii If O IM!I!!: IflMIS IMS I! k IIS 1 ? 1' XN "' 8 .- i ' r'v.,-''.'ri''il-'.. . ;!'! i( -f. '7 y X : V : ; ;. ! r ' v - ' f . . . ' . . I