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    %OBJECTIVE PERSONAL RELATION COOPERATE CONFLICT+921226
   %DISHONEST BELIEF TESTIMONY WITNESS CONFORM TALK+921226
 %REQUIRE ELIMINATE SUFFER PAIN HURT TRAGEDY SORROW 921227

     If  we feel that we are required to work to eliminate
all suffering,  pain,  hurt,  sorrow,  tragedy of which we
become aware; then we are trapped in a dilemma.

     One way to minimize our dilemma is to avoid  becoming
aware  of  situations  which  will require  that  we  take
action.  Or we may repress our awareness, and pretend that
we did not become aware. In either case we lose touch with
reality.

     Another  way  to minimize our dilemma is  to  believe
that  there is nothing significant that we can do, because
we  have too little power to make any difference.  Through
feigned  impotence  we  may  excuse  ourself  from   being
required to act.

     Yet  another  way  to  minimize  our  dilemma  is  to
procrastinate;   we will do something later---at a  future
date  which is not planned and not envisioned.  We  excuse
ourselves with feigned good intentions.

     We may not avoid awareness but punish  ourselves  for
being  so impotent  by passing judgment upon ourselves for
doing  nothing.  We may seek to justify ourselves  by  how
harshly  we condemn ourselves;  as  self-righteous  people
seek  to  justify  themselves  by how harshly  they  judge
people whom they perceive to be more evil. In this case we
disintegrate   through   our  self  rejection   and   self
alienation;   just  as  self-righteous   people   alienate
themselves from those whom they presume to be evil people;
including themselves.

     To maintain personal and communal integrity  we  need
to  know how to wisely respond to instances of  suffering,
pain,  hurt, sorrow, tragedy.  We will do well to seek out
and  learn from wise role models who have  developed  wise
ways to respond. See the previous essay.

                                                                                                                               
                         (c) 2005 by Paul A. Smith in      
                    (On Being Yourself, Whole and Healthy)  
                                                                                                                               
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