Relationships are hard. I went to church this morning, like I do about 45 weeks a year. The sermon was based on 2 Corinthians 6:1-10 which is a passage about how being in a relationship with someone means that we will share his or her pains and not just their successes. I've been stressed out a bit lately, and I can see and hear when I'm sharing my pains with people that it's hard for them to hear these things. They are sharing in my suffering. Similarly as I share in others lives, their pains hurt for me too.
"We don't go to Africa to make a difference for the Africans. We go there to make a difference for ourselves." - Said many people after visiting Sub-Saharan Africa. Poverty is hard to unsee. When the physical and material needs are not being met, or barely being met, it is hard for us, or at least me, to understand. Compared to thousands of years of history, and billions of people in this world, I have more wealth. I have a computer/movie studio/phone/post office/payment source/newspaper that fits in my pocket!
It's amazing to share in another person's life! It can be easy to think, 'wow, I'm thankful that I don't have that problem that other person has.' Yet now that you know, you can't be ignorant any longer. His pain is now your pain too. Her suffering is your suffering.
Lest this be a depressing blog post, this aspect of relationships is a huge benefit! You are not alone. I am not alone. We are in this together.
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