In How to Love, Thich Nhat Hanh proclaims:
Someone who can understand our suffering is our best friend.
and
In the person we love there is suffering we haven’t seen yet.
How can we dig deeper into the suffering of those we love? Suffering, or dukkha, takes three forms in the First Noble Truth:
- Suffering of suffering: Physical and emotional pain
- Suffering of change: Impermanence/ not accepting change
- Suffering of existence: Unsatisfactoriness of life
A framework for understanding suffering helps us engage with those we love. Far from devolving into a sob fest or not-so-fun conversation, exploring suffering in others can be a meaningful and lifelong pursuit. Your love for them will shine and alleviate their suffering.