Suffering Optional Question Mark
Suffering is optional, isn’t quite right. It’s more like, suffering for more than a few seconds is optional.
An example from today: As my girlfriend was heading out the door, she informed me that her friends and she were going to watch a movie later. She asked if I wanted to go. I said, “No thanks.” And then I got the look. The look of “You never take the time to meet my friends. I would like you to come.”…
As I was walking our dog a few minutes later, I started thinking angrily and negatively about the situation and my girlfriend.
A few seconds into this thinking I realized a few things:
- These thoughts are leading to suffering.
- These thoughts are a symptom of good values and real (albeit questionable) motivations.
- This is an opportunity.
Fueled by curiosity rather than anger, over the next block I pondered the opportunity.
FWIW: I write this post as my girlfriend is at the movies.