"Suffering starts and ends with you."
There is a lot of pain and suffering in the world today.
Much of it is circumstantial, people who are born into harsh environments and circumstances.
But, much is also a result of people's actions, intentional or not.
Suffering is self-perpetuating cycle.
This cycle starts with each of us.
We each subject ourselves to some degree of suffering.
Whether it's judgement of self, unrealistic expectations, being too hard on ourselves.
To self-defeating thoughts, self-sabotage or self-loathing.
These are all forms of suffering which manifest from the mind.
This internal manifestation then projects externally.
How we interact with the outside world, the energy we emanate, how we treat others.
The suffering becomes the fuel that influences the intention.
The intention which sits behind and drives our actions.
This, whether directly or indirectly, inflicts suffering onto others.
A subtle annoyance behind a response to a question.
An incendiary, hate-filled verbal attack.
A physical assault, with the intention to hurt.
When someone makes you suffer, it further exacerbates the suffering you already hold towards yourself.
The cycle continues.
Suffering is a downward spiral.
It starts with individuals, then small groups, communities, nations, to the world.
But it's something that we, as individuals, can help to eliminate.
We can combat suffering with compassion.
Compassion for self.
Compassion for others.
That's it.
Practice compassion.
Strive to live, live to strive.