On Suffering and Paradox

As I see it perception and emotion are to some extent creative acts.  This, plus the fact that creating anything with an opposite also automatically entails the creation of its opposite leads to some very stark consequences.  A recent thought: If you make no suffering, then you won't make any liberation from suffering either. But, if you do make great suffering, then you also have the opportunity to end it.  Thus the perfect world in which nothing but good exists is a myth.  I choose to see evil, because while seeing evil establishes pain, injustice, and heartbreak as basic qualities of my life, it does so in a sacred way and gives me the opportunity to serve others by solving those problems.  If given enough time, I expect most people would reach the same conclusion, but by no means is it right or possible to coerce others into believing or acting in line with this view.  Another paradox of our lives is that this joy can only come about through authentic desire, motivated from one's own love of service.  This is why I encourage people to find the strength, courage, relaxation, and trust to do what they most deeply want, whatever that is.

You get the great privilege of experiencing the greatest of all joys in life when you do this sincere altruistic work in the company of others who are also so motivated.  This is the collective joy of the beloved community in which you know you are cared for and enjoy the love of caring for others.  I expect the deepest paradox and surprise in this, though, will be that upon your and our achievement of the beloved community, we will collectively realize that it had been this way all along.