The other day, I was speaking with a woman who commented on the lack of tolerance our generation (meaning the millennial generation) has for pain and suffering. She began to notice this trend after counselling countless women within and outside of her church. Everyone is struggling in their own unique ways; but, the common thread they all share is their inability to actually accept that suffering.
Most people may take offense to this idea, but honestly, I have to agree.
It's not that this woman looked down on the millennial generation. In fact, she counsels all ages and all ages seem to reiterate this concept in some form. The point she was getting at was more along the lines of what kind of message the world is sending to anyone experiencing discomfort in life. Red flags are raised at every conflict in a relationship. Specialists are sought out whenever an individual's emotions don't align with the rest of the world's. Worries and concerns automatically lead to some form of panic. As the saying goes, "the struggle is real." But what are we really struggling for?
We as humans are not meant to suffer. It is not what were were created for; it is not the way were are supposed to exist. An issue comes up, our first response is always the question of how to fix it? But at the same time, the reality is that we do live in a fallen world. No one is perfect. I'm sorry if this is news to you, but it's true. A few minutes into our conversation, she said this simple, yet profound statement:
"Just by being human, there is going to be pain in our life that it is just the normal ups and downs of living." - Elaine Pratt
Going through an extended period of grief, living through the craziness and busyness of raising a family, dealing with the zillions of hormones we have on a daily basis; these are all legitimate issues, but they are also not abnormal.
"Whether it's in America today or whatever it is, we seem to think that even in dealing with that normal pain, we should be able to talk to someone or get some kind of drug or do something and it should stop." - Elaine Pratt
We run to pills. We run to therapy. We run to anything and everything we can when the truth is, pain and suffering is not a new concept. Maybe one of the best forms of therapy is actually being open and honest about the things we face every hour of every day. Sure, not everyone will understand, but I guarantee you that whether it's stress at work, boy troubles, social anxiety, a death in the family, or even an inward emotion you just can't shake, YOU ARE NOT ALONE. Your problems are real, but they are also not plaguing you exclusively. Find a friend who cares and be open with them. Just remember that they have struggles of their own, so caring for them just the same is as important as ever.
