" CARRYING THE BURNING CROSS "

Hi Tony, this is a very deep write, the manner in which we choose to carry and tackle our burdens can determine the way they weigh on us as we move on in our lives and bring about different outcome. Great write. Cheers.

And like Christ, no one should be expected to carry their cross alone.

Good job Tone

very much a thought to provoke write, T....sometimes I feel you should come to Toronto and you me and my uncle sit and talk, would be priceless; at least for me, lol....last Saturday we had this similar conversation about suffering and martyrs; not sure if you've read the book  Fox's book, of Christian Martyrs, good book, but I digress....personally, T, I don't believe in suffering or that much can be gained from it; and yes I continually get hammered over the head for this stance.   Now don't get me wrong, I have experienced suffering and do believe in the 'pick up my cross and follow me...' that the bible speaks of, but the bible also speaks of unspeakable joy as well, so I don't want to go there... and I don't argue religion on poetry sites; call me 'weird', lol.... personally, I hate suffering from any standpoint, I hate physical pain, mental anguish, all stresses upon the body and mind....now I try not to think in cliches'  or sound bites, so just to be clear; I do suffer all these things, but at the end of the day I see no tangible benefits from them, I wish I could spend my entire life suffering free, and I wish I could heal suffering as well,  but I can't so I must endure, to me suffering is  a sad reminder to me of sin....no more religion....quick story; my uncle got run over by a truck 3 years ago, pelvis broken in a million pieces; had 10 operations within a few months just to put him back together, he is 67 years old; still alive, has to wear a diaper...suffers continuous pain, can take a few steps now...he has always been my hero, he is bionic, in my mind...nobody believes that a truck actually ran over his body and he survived, even hardened doctors see him as a miracle....and besides being bionic, he is the most knowledgeable person on the bible I have ever met, and one of the finest men I have ever known, I would call him a good man....T, many times I have thought about why this happened to him, and I don't believe in predestination; which is an argument itself, lol... anyway, recently I came to an odd conclusion about it all.  I had to come to terms, so I reasoned that he may be better off where he now, at this point in his life; financially for sure, he is way better off than how he would have been if the accident had not occurred.   He is married to a great woman, who has stood by him and certainly he never has to work ever again, now I know my reasoning is extremely flawed, but I tried to be positive; work in progress....anyway my uncle is happy, his relationship with God is not compromised or harmed; that I can see, anyway.   Now as I settled on my theory that he is somehow 'better off' he said something that totally shattered my idiotic thought; he told me that he misses playing hide and seek with his wife, lol....a little thing like that proved to me how wrong I was.   Though he is 67, he was in great shape, before the accident, and would've worked in a factory till he was 75 without complaining.   T, don't get me wrong, I do believe that one should have a positive attitude under any circumstance, and suffering is a circumstance that in varying degrees, we all face and have to conquer, by any means possible.   Call me stubborn and foolish, but I will never embrace suffering, wish I could and everyone had the option to avoid it, but I suppose only in heaven.   Hey, bro. sorry about the rant got carried away.   Would be so much better if you, me and my uncle sat together one day.   Great write, but you always write well, hate repeating myself....have great day.    

beautiful thought provoking write Tony.