Pain and Suffering...

Sometimes we are so caught up in our own world that we fail to notice the pain and suffering that goes on around us.  And we live in the country that is probably the richest nation in the world.   Having worked as a social worker my entire life I have been exposed to pain and suffering within my world and yet I can little fathom the suffering going on in the refugee camps of Africa resulting from genocide and hunger.  I can’t imagine what the people of Haiti have gone through during and after the devastating earthquake and subsequent attempts to recover and find some semblance of normalcy.
There is a lot of pain and suffering in the world.  Siddhartha Gautama the historical figure who became the Buddha is said to have left his princely palace as a young man only to find death and suffering.
Stories abound of Jesus healing the sick, feeding the hungry.  I think it is a safe bet that he knew about pain and suffering.  Are you aware of the pain and suffering around you and in far off places?  These who suffer, who are concerned about survival needs, food, shelter, medical care, have very little chance of climbing the spiritual ladder until some of those needs are met.  What can we do?  A smile or an unspoken blessing is a good way to start.  My dear friend always took a plate of food from his holiday feast to the streetperson that slept in a doorway close.   Buying an extra can of food to go to a food bank or volunteering at a food bank or soup kitchen are ways that can be helpful. 
When you look at yourself and complain about an ache or a pain be grateful for the roof over your head.   When you are passed over for a raise at work, be grateful for a job.
Take a look around you.  Perhaps the greatest thing anyone can do is simply to be aware and realize how much suffering and pain is in the world.