We are all in this together: everyone has something

namaste
 
The Divine in me acknowledges and greets the Divine in you.

In the film better impossibleJack Nicholson tells his peers, who are sharing stories about their deeply painful life experiences, that “some [people] they have great stories, nice stories that take place on lakes with boats and friends and noodle salad. Just no one in this car… What makes it so hard is not that you have had a bad time, but that you are so angry that so many others have had a good time.” It is true that comparing your pain and suffering with the supposed health and the happiness of others is a sure recipe for envy, resentment, isolationism, and depression.

But really, no one’s life is all “good times, noodle salad.” Everyone has something. That’s how it is, all Has something. We ALL have our challenges. Rich and beautiful celebrities, the so-called “beautiful people”, have their drug addictions and divorces. The smiling lady across the street is putting on quite a show as she deals with her alcoholic mother or her abusive husband or her huge credit card debt. Everyone has something.

If you saw me at the grocery store today, or in my yoga class, you’d think I’m a vivacious, healthy, and attractive woman, and if you were having one of your bad days, you might even make me jealous and annoyed. for my joviality Well, don’t be. I spent the whole night waking up in severe pain and distress. Don’t let my smile fool you: I’m smiling to remember the sweetness of life, to try to lift my spirits. Everyone has something, and I also have something I’m dealing with, just like you.

Don’t waste your energy going down the self-destructive path of envy and resentment. You have your challenges, yes, and so does everyone else. Maybe your friend is having a good day or week or yearbut we all have our crosses to bear. They say the strongest among us carry the heaviest crosses, so in reality, in proportion, we are all equally challenged. Maybe next week, or next year, your happy-go-lucky friend is the one who needs your help and support. Don’t waste time comparing. Just know who you are, where you are, and trust the process of life.

Sorry to say, it’s also a mistake to be too arrogant during good times. If you’re lucky enough to be having an easy time lately, enjoy it, appreciate it, even reveal in that. But know that life is full of ups and downs, and what goes up must come down. Just don’t imagine yourself as categorically different from those who are currently less fortunate than you. Everyone has good times and hard times, and everyone is human.

We are all in this together. Instead of retreating into an isolationist “poor me” or “lucky me” fantasy, look around you. Really look around you. See the commonalities, our common human experiences. We are all raising families or are part of a family. We all do some kind of work, whether it’s for pay, at school, or at home, and we try to do the best we can. We are all trying to live as ethically as possible, within our various definitions of what that means. From atheists to monks to fanatics, we all follow our inner moral code to the best of our ability. We are all dealing with a society that is out of sync with our natural rhythms, highly stressful, and physically and emotionally toxic.

We are all in relationship with each other. We are all imperfect. We are all evolving and learning, each at their own pace. We are all beautiful. We are all struggling with challenges, some with financial stress, some with addictions, some with illness or injury, some with family drama, some with emotional trauma, something for everyone. Everyone has something. If you’re doing it right, help someone who isn’t. If you’re not doing it right, reach out to someone who is. On the whole, no “something” is too difficult to handle. All together, we can handle anything.