Thoughtfulness

I sat and thought about all the suffering going on in the world and suddenly, I recalled a picture from my Facebook feed that I almost shared impulsively but then my reflective mind intervened at the last moment. My compassionate heart, however, was left in a state of utter confusion.

The picture is heartbreaking and horrible, it wants to burrow into our conscience and make us feel bad and think “What do I really have to complain about? My problems, my sadness, my life crisis can never be worse than this, right?

Sure, there are many of us who are relatively well off and have a life many would be grateful for, but should we really feel bad about it? 

We are x billion people on this planet, each with their own background and destiny. We have different references to what we experience as difficult, problematic or critical depending on several circumstances, geographical origin, growing up conditions, economy, health, politics, religion, war etc.

When I let my brain think a little along these lines, I can't help that the image provoke me a little bit. Not the motif itself which is heartbreaking for anyone, but what the message really means for all those struggling with, with what they perceive as inconceivable life crises. Sharing the picture feels like minimizing and spitting on these people's difficult experiences "Look here you pathetic cry-baby and be ashamed "

I know how easy it is to share without thinking, but I wish we could all take a few minutes to reflect and think..... A message, however heartwarming and urgent, can actually also do harm...