It is stating the obvious that there are times in life when pain will visit us. Being born itself has enough pain to go around—for mother and baby—not a particularly auspicious beginning on the pain scale. Well, no one said there wouldn’t be some prices to pay for all this joy.

And, of course, in addition to physical pain, is emotional and mental pain.

Besides the fact that we all have different magnitudes of pain tolerance, SUFFERING sometimes cannot be avoided.

Some say pleasure and happiness are opposites to suffering. I beg to differ.

If happiness includes increased wisdom and understanding as well as personal evolution, and suffering can expedite these traits, then who are we to give suffering such a bad name?

St. Thérèse of Lisieux wrote about suffering with joy so that one could love God better.

To C.S. Lewis is attributed, ”God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our conscience, but shouts in our pain: it is His megaphone to rouse a deaf world.”

Pastor Tim Keller wrote in his book, “Walking with God through Pain and Suffering, ”…suffering is meaningful. There is a purpose to it, and if faced rightly it can drive us like a nail deep into the love of God and into more stability and spiritual power than you can imagine.”

And a personal friend of Mother Teresa wrote that she said,

“Embracing suffering can be redemptive.”

Well then, that certainly puts a more positive spin on pain—and suffering.

We are all indeed playing with “HOUSE MONEY,” when it comes right down to it. A gambler playing with house money, has greatly reduced the fear and anxiety that he may lose his money—as it’s house money, winnings he did not have when he started the gambling session.

This HOUSE MONEY EFFECT can help us take a step back, take a few deep breaths, and see and feel that our tendency to worry, be afraid, stress out and be anxious not only is not part of our ‘job description,’ but is more a function of habit and perhaps misguided perceptions, and past impressions on the mind (samskaras).

The miracle of life is not of our own doing; it’s been gifted to us. Of course, we want to make the most of it as this correlates to feeling fulfilled and happy.

That others can benefit from our efforts creates a wonderful win/win scenario. I win and others do as well. How we use the gift is our choice.

The Master of the House in the Sky has provided us with the opportunity to grasp a “One Way Ticket to Paradise,’ as the song goes.

We were told quite some years ago by Shree Vasant:

“MANTRA IS EVERYTHING…WHAT SEEMS COMPLICATED NOW BECOMES TERRIBLY SIMPLE. YOU WILL LAUGH AT IT LATER ON.”

Over the years, at times we are exhorted to have no fear, no stress, no anxiety.

It may be very well to inculcate the mindset and heartset of surrendering or “turning it over,” as one of the Anonymous Programs’ more ubiquitous slogans goes.

Turning your life over to your Higher Power—we all have one—not only envisions surrender, but nearly automatically, reduces stress, anxiety and fear. It is Idam na mama—not my will but Thy will be done.

For those of us more inclined to service, reducing mind disturbances not only increases our own serenity, but having done so, we are better instruments (of the Divine) so we may better help others.

This age we live in cries out for help needed by those whose societies have rendered them forgotten, purged, ignored and consigned to rubbish heaps.

And the more we project positive behavior and vibrations, the better the effects on the planet. We can avoid the misery that is yet to come—and help others do the same.

And lest we forget, as it is said, “Whoever saves a life, it is as though he had saved the lives of all mankind” (Quran 5:32).

Mary said: “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.” Then the angel departed…
Luke 1:38

So, we should not underestimate the value of our roles now. That would be a disservice to ourselves and to those we are serving.

Then there is the question, “How can I best serve?”

Parts of the answer may be WHAT RESONATES WITH YOU?

If, for example, you have tried serving food in a soup kitchen for the homeless, did the feelings you had indicate that you were doing what you were meant to do?

If your experience sharing Agnihotra copper pyramid healing fire with others, gave you a sense of purpose and feelings of joy, then by all means shout it from rooftops, post on social media, try to get a chemtrail pilot to draw an Agnihotra pyramid in the sky.

As individuals, not only do we have our own Vikarmas (specific task related to our purpose in life), but our destinies are ours to play out.

And time is of the essence!