A few weeks ago we discussed the various characters’ approaches to suffering in Nectar in a Sieve. One character fights it, one spends all her time yearning for the past, and another believes he has to just make the best of what he has in life and not fight what’s dealt to him. We discussed the fact that each of these approaches has value depending on the situation. The Serenity Prayer by theologian Reinhold Neibuhr also addresses the question of how to deal with life’s pain . . . but how does one know which reaction is best?
Elijah Trostel
11/30/2023 06:54:44 pm
There is no set reaction to dealing with life's problems. This is because life is not the same unchanging period of time, but a constantly changing sea of emotion, memories, and absurd circumstances. That is what makes life beautiful. However, as before mentioned, life is constantly changing, which means that it will throw hard times and circumstances your way. This is the part of life that needs to be accepted, no matter your mindset on how to deal with it: Life will always try to knock you down. But the thing is, you cannot always accept it, but you also cannot always fight it either. If you constantly accept it, you will be forced to watch as life slowly takes everything from you because you cannot fight to keep what you love. If you always fight, eventually, you will try to fight something that you cannot change, and will expend all of your energy fighting for a cause that lost all sense of reason long before. However, if you always sit around and think of the past, you will stick your mind in the past, and be unable to adapt to and deal with your present problems effectively. The only somewhat correct thing to do is have discernment on which circumstances you should make the best of, which ones you should fight, and which ones you should simply accept, because no matter what, there are things in this world... that will never change.
William LF
12/1/2023 10:20:54 am
I don't think that they are meant to be used one at a time, I think that they are meant to be used all at once. Because if you use only one at a time you will be out of balance, and unable to end your suffering.
Nathaniel Haan
12/5/2023 02:34:04 pm
The best approach to dealing with suffering is the one spoken about in the serenity prayer. To not let the things that you can not control affect you, but also to try and change what you can. It is very important to know the difference though. If you stress too much about the suffering in this world that you can't change then you will go crazy with guilt and sadness. However, if you leave all suffering that you can affect up to chance without trying to affect it then you will never accomplish anything. So it is just a very fine line that you have to tread back and forth on.
Peter Caldwell
12/5/2023 07:35:46 pm
I agree with Elijah. I agree that there is no set reaction for suffering because not all situations are the same. But I also guess that you can never really know what the best way is. I think you can very easily tell when it's the wrong way of doing things because the suffering can get worse without any outside effect. Suffering can be a growing experience for the mind but it can also be destructive depending on what it is and how its received. I also can agree that there are usually 2 main ways to take suffering, accepting, and fighting, though these are very broad words to use. Probably the worst way to take suffering is just ignoring it and trying to push it down which can lead to a destructive situation. Elijah did a perfect job of phrasing much of what I was going to say and I think he did a good job, and much of what I am saying is also not fact, merely a guess.
Fernando Villanueva
12/6/2023 12:14:45 pm
There isn't a best way to deal with suffering. Everyone has different ways of doing it. Some people talk with others, some people just stay alone and think to themselves, and some people like me just play sports. It's what keeps me calm. One doesn't know the best way to deal with it but one knows the best way for them to deal with it. Everyone has their own ways.
Abraham Walters
12/6/2023 07:41:41 pm
The way one knows what is the best response to and attitude to suffering is simply to use the Bible. The Bible talks about so many different issues in life. The first character spends all her time yearning for the past the bible tells us “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past.” (Isaiah 43:18 NIV) so this knocks out one of the character's ways of reacting to the past and suffering for the other two characters it's a little bit more complicated then the first. for the one that handles these situations with submission he has to just make the best of what he has in life and not fight what’s dealt to him. This is the best option out of all three ways of dealing with suffering. the last one character fights it this is ok and wile it does not have a very clear yes or no answer it is probably best to fight it because if you fight suffering in life and work towards getting out of that hard painful situation then you my be delivered from most or all of your suffering this these are all reaction with some simple answers and one answer that does not have a black or white answer. Comments are closed.
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Non-Western LiteratureGuidelinesThe whole purpose of this assignment - whether you're reacting to an idea, sharing your own story, or analyzing the reading - is to discuss the ultimate issues of life. With that in mind, make sure that you: Archives
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