Contemplation on Suffering and Compassion (and why art school is important).

Life is beautiful and tragic in the sense that it doesn't make sense. Reality doesn't make sense. Maybe it doesn't because our perception is so little. We cannot see in front and behind us both at the same time. We see so little. The more I learn, the more, I begin to not believe. And yet, the more I learn, the more I begin to believe. The more my bones shake, the more I'm confronted with Love... presented with a force of agression that points toward it... I am then comforted by Love. I begin to notice what is important. Because, we live in a universe where people everywhere, and not just people, but other sentient beings too are suffering all the time. Whether we are suffering from physical suffering: an illness, hunger, tiredness; an emotional suffering such as deep sorrow; maybe a mental illness... or perhaps the inability to escape the troubles of the mind, or the despair of being unable to make sense of or take comfort in the current state of the universe. Whatever it is that may be taking us... we are all suffering. I came out of class today, puzzled by the laws, physics, sciences behind our own earthly, close-to-dirt perception of the universe... and how the inability to make sense of it, despite gaining more and more knowledge everyday... creates sorrow. Maybe that is what Solomon spoke of... the vanity and pain of more and more awareness and information. I hurt for those who suffer in that way... because, I do suffer from that, too, from time to time, which brings me here on my floor, writing these words. However, I find a comfort in knowing that I'm not alone. And even more so, that a lot of what seems to remain true in a universe that is always shifting and uncertain, is that, despite their abstraction, there seems to be a Truth that lies beyond our eye, and beyond our perception. I do not know much, but what I think is true at least, is that there is a necessity for compassion. Even if compassion cannot change the world... if all that you believe in is balance... compassion still proves important... because without it, there is only cruelty and rejection towards suffering. You can flaunt your intellectual muscles and fathom all the mysteries of the universe, and still have no compassion. I honestly believe that the opposite of love is nothingness. You can either use your intelligence for compassion that is born out of love, or you can use it honor the nothingness. Yet, how can we? Although we seem to know nothing, there seems to be something still. There seems to be a lot of things, things we don't understand. There is everything else. I believe that those who have no compassion among their suffering, suffer more than those who suffer yet excerise compassion. And perhaps, that is why Jesus Christ makes acts of compassion and love the center of his ministry. He blesses the broken-hearted, gives sight to the blind, restores hope to the broken, pities and has compassion on those who do evil, and when he teaches, he teaches about a lightness.... He doesn't tell us that the key to true Life is acquiring all knowledge of the Universe, or aquring it's things or doing nothing. Remember that the universe is moving and fleeting. Rather, He says we've got to know Him. What is bizarre is that this is the guy who claims to be the Father of the Universe... Even the G-d of the Universe bore himself into a tiny little human, a man of sorrows, crying many tears for the little specks of dust that he loves, and laughing with joy at any spark of Light, any bit of Himself that He may pass unto and maybe even ignite in someone else... The Greeks thought that the poor, hopeless and suffering were the ambassadors of Heaven... Maybe if more people knew what it is like to suffer deeply, we would realize the need for compassion. Compassion doesn't just heal others, but it seems to saves us. I just wonder, what type of world could this earth be... if we just had the humility and compassion and courage and vulnerability to say "I don't know, either.... I am hurting, too, brother." Maybe if we remembered, especially myself, that we are all suffering, maybe we would be a little bit kinder, a little more humble, a little more gentle, patient, long-suffering, faithful, and good towards each other and ourselves.