Today we ask that you have compassion for people who are suffering, but do not believe them completely.

What does this mean?

Most people feel like victims in one way or another.  Many people will readily tell you how they have been victimized, how life has dealt them a bad hand and been cruel.

And often if you heard their stories of pain, tragedy, and grief, you would agree that awful things have happened to them, and feel very bad.  You might even become hopeless, and depressed.  

It is okay to listen calmly as people tell you their stories of suffering.  It is good to be quiet, and compassionately sit with them — not judging, not arguing.  Just be quiet with someone, when they tell you about their pain.

However, it is very important that you do not believe in everything they say.

That is not to say they are liars.  They are very likely telling you the facts and the truth as they perceive it.

And this does not mean they are not feeling real and terrible pain.

But the upshot of all stories of victimhood is that there is something wrong with reality.

Reality is cruel.

Reality is unjust.

Reality is broken.

If you believe in God, then it is God who is cruel, unjust, and broken.

If you are an atheist, then it is because you live in a random, meaningless, totally uncaring universe.  That is why bad things happen to good people.

None of that is true.

Reality is not cruel, or broken.

You do not live in a random, uncaring universe.

Each and every one of you is deeply loved, more than you can conceive of.

There are no mistakes.

We know that every cell in your being may cry out in outrage at this idea, and yet is is true.  

There are no mistakes in reality.

And if you accepted this on a deep level, you would no longer experience suffering.  You might experience pain, and loss — but you would not suffer unnecessarily.

Suffering exists because you believe in the possibility of mistakes in reality.  Because you believe that things happen, that should not happen.

Nothing is happening, that should not happen.

This will be clear to you when you depart your physical bodies, at “death.”

Until then, it is a matter of faith.  

Faith in the goodness of reality means an end to the mental suffering that occurs when one cries out: “This should not be!”

And that is why it is good to create space for people who are suffering, and to listen to them and be present for them.  However, if you believe them, you will become hopeless and depressed.  And then you can’t help anyone.

So listen, and be still.  But do not believe that the universe is broken because bad things appear to happen to good people.

Reality is so much bigger than you could possibly dream of.  There is so much you don’t know.

But rest assured: reality is good.  Life is good.