AWM 6

¹But there is pain and suffering and grief in life. ²And pain, in a way, is more fundamental than joy, because it is always easier for life to run than to relax. ³And the universe is brutal sometimes, for it pays no mind to what was or what will be, it simply is. ⁴For no matter how strong you are in life and in faith, the human is a physical being, a fragile collection of flesh and bones. ⁵So it is only natural that humans seek to avoid pain, in search of comfort and safety. ⁶To be comfortable is to be certain, to know that when the next moment arrives, it will be okay. ⁷Sleep, for example, is the ultimate surrender of faith, the submission of yourself to the physical universe, the act of letting go of your ability to make any decisions at all. ⁸But in some ways, comfort is the opposite of decision, because to act or to move in the world requires uncertainty. ⁹And you must be careful, because as survival becomes easier, growth becomes harder, because it is only through difficult and uncomfortable exertion of will that change is possible at all. ¹⁰And there is terrible injury and trauma and loss in this world, deep and profound, but you must be careful, because if you do not face it, then it will become a part of you. ¹¹But just being aware of it is not enough, so if you do not know what to do, do your best, for action is infinitely more powerful than thoughts or feelings ever could be. ¹²And it is not that comfort is good, or bad, of course, because sleep and rest are necessary for growth and health and recovery. ¹³But to lie down in comfort is to die. ¹⁴Because comfort, like all things, will fade away in the face of time, so if you are not prepared for pain, then it will consume you, if not today, then tomorrow. ¹⁵But you are more capable than you could ever know. ¹⁶And to be alive is not a choice, and to be human is not a choice. ¹⁷And it is hard, so unbelievably agonizing sometimes, but you must fight, for you do not have a choice. ¹⁸Because if anything is sacred in this universe, it is life, so you must never waste it.