We live, we suffer

It may be difficult to remember

Suffering is part of life

We all go through suffering

And some of us go through so much suffering

Our suffering from the past

Can leave pain, deep, deep inside

When things echo of the past

We go back and find reminders of all the ways we were hurt

Often through ignorance

And we find ourselves once again

In the burning ground

We thought we had left behind

Stay a while with the suffering

Stay a while with the hurt

But hold it lightly, darling

Don’t close your hand or heart or body too tight

Make a fist if you must

Bu then let the fist go

Remember to breathe

And open the door to pain

So it can enter and move through you

No one escapes suffering

No one escapes pain

But you can bear it if

You just hold it tenderly

And treat yourself and others with compassion