You heard this before: Suffering comes from desire. Desire causes suffering.
In concrete terms, you want something and you can't have it and don't, you suffer. You don't want something and you have to have it and do, you suffer.
Recently a college student came in and told me:
- I don't want to live anymore. I couldn't study. I couldn't concentrate. I couldn't sleep. I drink a lot. I take drugs. I attempted to kill myself 3 times but my friends saved me. Now here I am.
- Why? I asked. Why do you want to kill yourself?
- I had a girl friend, he said. We know we are right for each other. I know I am the one for her. But then she broke up with me. I was devastated. I don't want to live any more.
Then the young man broke down . . . I was there, present to him and I invited him to breathe out . . . He did.
* * *
You want something and can't have it, you suffer.
You don't want to lose someone but you do, you suffer.
You've lost your meaning and purpose to live.
So suffering comes from desire and desire causes suffering. Sounds right, right? Or is there something else?
Isn't it true suffering is due to desire? If so then how about happiness?
Well, will you be happy when you have what you want and do have it?! Normally people are. Like you want to be a millionaire and you win the lottery, won't you be happy?! Normal people are. Yet some just won't, especially afterward . . . .
Now suffering comes from desire and happiness also comes from desire. Then desire causes both happiness and suffering?! Isn't that conflicting in itself?
Or is there something else?
Look at it carefully now.
Isn't it true desire is the cause of both happiness and suffering, or isn't you?
Isn't it you who want and don't want?
Isn't it you who love and hate?
Isn't it you who gain and lose?
When there is still "you," there will always be suffering and happiness. Unless . . . no more "you" but only giving and breathing out . . .
When you make anyone or anything "everything" and you have "them" for a while then you lose "them." That's when you lose "everything." Your life no longer has any meaning. You have no purpose to live any more.
Now please pay close attention: Though you've lost everything, there is still you. You still are.
It's you who decides. It's you who creates. It's you who makes.
It's your choice. It's your life. It's your meaning. It's your purpose.
As long as there is still "you," you know what will happen . . . .
Why don't we just observe everything and be present?
Why don't we just breathe out . . . breathe out now.
The Lord God, the Holy Spirit, always breathes out . . . .
He sustains everything and everyone in existence with His life-giving Breath . . . .
He is not just a Breath, but the Ever-living, Omnispresent, Eternal Breath . . .
and His Name is "I AM WHO AM WITH YOU ALWAYS . . . "
Breathe . . . Breathe out now. Thank you.
God bless y'all now.
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