The Experience of Suffering

 
I recently ran across an interesting quote that really made me think:
 
“We are healed of a suffering only by experiencing it to the full." - Marcel Proust, French novelist
 

We are taught through many avenues of modern medicine and the media that we shouldn’t have to suffer. Consumers complaining of pain or different ailments are encouraged to partake in the quickest symptom- reliever right away.  Not just with physical problems, but emotional and mental suffering as well.  The thing is we are never promised a life without suffering.
 
The actual act of healing is also poorly understood in our society.  We are taught that we need outside intervention (medicine, surgery, procedures, pain relievers…) to accomplish healing.  In actuality, however, our bodies are designed with self- healing capacity.  With the basis of this understanding of the body, many of the holistic health fields focus on aiding the body with its natural healing abilities.
 
We are created in such a way in which suffering can actually be normal and can be beneficial.  What I am not saying is to go seek suffering.  Instead, seek life!  Living a healthy life, you will inevitably experience suffering.