Surviving Suffering

This journey of life is filled with such beauty at times. We could all do with slowing down and appreciating that beauty more often. Too often, we allow it to pass us by without recognition.

We do sometimes catch it though. Sometimes, we realise we are in the presence of beauty and we allow ourselves to freeze time – to stay in that presence. In those moments, we are conscious enough to really experience beauty. While these moments may not come very often, when they do they are often very emotional.

They connect us to a central truth that no matter what suffering there is in the world (and there is suffering in the world) and in our lives (there is and will be suffering in our lives), there is also beauty. We cannot explain why it is so, we can only accept that it is so.

Excerpted from Finding God in the Mess: Meditations for Mindful Living by Brendan McManus SJ & Jim Deeds (p.71)