Why good people always suffer?

Thank god – life is not just

“I don’t expect anything much in life. I can accept deficiency in any sphere in life, but I can’t accept injustice meted by life on the good people around me. I can’t see ‘my people’ suffering. Why should always good suffer?”

These and related questions are always bombarded at me every time I touch the topic of expectations and anger. The above stands true and justified if touched topically. But, in the larger context of time and life there is nothing as suffering by the good. It is always chosen by the ‘good people’ for their own good by them. It is always by choice. It is never thrust at them by some unknown force above.
Before explaining this statement, let me first look at the first part of the question – “…injustice meted by life on the good people around me..”.
· When I am standing and talking to my friend under a tree, even without a thought I pluck a twig/branch (depending upon my muscle power), pluck a flower and then throw it and am gone from there. No tree taps me on my head (but, that’s what I would do if someone did what I did to the tree – right?). AM I GLAD LIFE IS NOT JUST!

· During rainy season when it rains I curse the rain for dampening my day. Rain doesn’t withdraw from my bore saying I had abused it so many times, so it wouldn’t flow in my pipe line (again this would have been my attitude towards my so-called near and dear if they had said something unwelcome to me-right?). – AM I GLAD RAIN DOESN’T HAVE MY ATTITUDE? AND LIFE IS NOT JUST?

· When I am sitting on the banks of any river, I throw pebbles at it – just for fun or because I don’t have anything better to do. River doesn’t throw water at me nor does it drown me when I wade into it for washing my feet. I would remember the hurt given by someone even years down the line and get back to them physically or at least verbally whenever I get a chance to do so. Right? THANK THE INJUSTICE OF LIFE. RIVER DOESN’T DO SO.

ALL THESE ACTS AND MORE ARE PERFORMED BY THE GOOD PEOPLE IN MY LIFE. Am I glad life is not JUST so many times with them? Think!

Well, coming to the part “why should good people always suffer?”
King Harishchandra underwent so many trials in life because he stuck to his principle “I shall live by Truth alone”. He CHOSE to suffer (as per others definition). But to him he CHOSE it for Truth. He was never unhappy with his choice.

Every person who wants to lose weight goes on a crash diet. They end up making a statement “I am working so hard and suffering not eating good diet to lose weight”. But all through his life Gandhiji chose to eat minimal food out of choice. He enveloped it on his own. He did not suffer it and others who did it out of compulsion. So your choice cannot give you suffering as it is your choice.

Arjuna wanted to be recognized as a great archer in the history. So he was placed in the situations that gave him an opportunity to experience bravery and also to fulfill his desire to be known as a great archer. He chose his life plan. His suffering was out of choice for something that he wanted out of his life. It wasn’t because he was good.

Jesus had to teach the unconditional love by forgiving his enemies also stating “forgive them for they know not what they do”. So he chose to die on cross and suffered the crucification. His suffering (if at all there was) was his choice and not because he was good.

Helen Keller born deaf, dumb and blind went on to become the world’s renowned motivational speaker. She had every reason to suffer but she chose to outgrow self-pity and be a living model to all depressed souls (those with full body parts intact!). She was good. She didn’t ask the question why me and suffer. Instead she chose to outgrow the limitation. She made the CHOICE.

Look closely maybe “trouble should be a new window in the Eastern wall of your house?”

There certainly must be something strangely sacred in salt. It is in our tears and in the sea. But we need to suffer to experience them. But we forget that our GOD in His gracious thirst can drink us all, the dewdrop and the tear.

Once a great tennis player was diagnosed with cancer. A reporter asked her “why have you got this disease?” then the player said when 5 lakh children got the chance of being trained in tennis and I was one of them I didn’t ask “why me?” out of those 5 lakh 50 thousand got intensive training and the list included me, then I did not ask “why me?” when 5 thousand got advanced training and when I was there in it I did not ask “why me?” and when 500 of them reached the grand slam and I still continued to be there in that list I did not ask “why me?” when I won the grand slam out of the 500 people I did not ask GOD “why me?” then why now?

Sufferings may actually be the speed breakers in one’s life that toughens them and strengthens them for good. Isn’t it true that it’s the Turtles that can tell more about the roads than the hares? These sufferings soften the person in a strange beautiful and complete way. Remember the soft power of Gandhiji and Mother Teresa! Strange enough is the fact that the creatures without backbones have the hardest shells.

We life by choice and not be chance! So rejoice at your choice in spite of it bringing you to the steps of suffering (as per your definition!).

So, stop suffering and start living for now,

revathi

for further details go to post dt:5/3/09,12/3/09, 28/03/09,29/03/ 2009 and 8/14/09)