Thursday, February 16, 2012

We don't despair

Sacrifice is absolutely essential for human growth; yet the abiding disposition of sacrifice is rarely established without some experience of suffering. Of course suffering itself does not make one holy and can even lead to despair. Despair is suffering that fails to teach.

Thomas Keating

4 comments:

amy + ryan said...

Huh. "Despair is suffering that fails to teach." That's awesome.

Beth said...

Oh yes. I love this -- "Despair is suffering that fails to teach."

Lisa said...

Suffering that fails to teach. Despair. Yep, I'm pretty sure that was my sin through my whole ordeal as well... I have so much respect for you for how you are handling your grief, Erin.

Dana said...

Sacrifice is absolutely essential for human growth...Right you are...We don't care about others till something happens...But the sorrow makes our souls much more sensitive. If only we could live without loses...Hold on and take care...