How should we deal with suffering?

Historical analysis shows that the phenomenon of suffering in all centuries has attracted the attention of philosophers and many writers. However, the interpretation of this experience was not always the same. In some historical eras, suffering was typically considered an inevitable companion of life and human existence. But in periods when rationalism prevailed in public consciousness, it received an unambiguously negative exegesis. Thinkers pondered how to alleviate human plight by saving people from many torments. Science in these specific epochs promised the means to overcome diseases. Psychologists were looking for the possibilities of psychotechnics to alleviate emotional experiences, social philosophers proposed various utopias for execution, in which a person found the desired happiness and prosperity. But does suffering cause us only dull pain and nothing more? I adhere to the position that even suffering can benefit our life and perhaps the author of the breathtaking novel “Life of Pi” can agree with me. In one of the first pages of the book, we can see a vivid quote from the hero himself, who assures this story "made him believe in God. " Is this not already clear proof that all the physical and moral trials that Pi went through on his journey did not leave only a negative “mark”? If not, then we can dig further and prove my point with another quote from text. “High calls low and low calls high. I tell you, if you were in such dire straits as I was, you too would elevate your thoughts. The lower you are, the higher your mind will want to soar. . . ”(ch. 93) Pi refers to an unusual but purely logical fact - the worse your condition, the more your brain will naturally want to abstract itself from stress, and therefore come up with new ideas, go beyond its own capabilities. That is why the hero of the novel began to eat meat, learn to hunt and build additional rafts to stay safe from the Bengal tiger. Could he have done it without these suffering? No, because then there would be no good reason to get out of his comfort zone. Moral and sometimes even physical pain developed not only the indomitable spirit of Pi, but also made him closer to God, since he was the only one who supported the boy and induced him to never give up. In my life, a similar situation has happened, where fleeting suffering contributed. About two years ago, I decided to radically change my life in pursuit of a better education. There were only 3 months left until the closing date for applications, but I had not yet passed two overly difficult exams for admission. Although TOEFL may not seem so challenging for many American students, it was a nightmare for a Russian girl with an elementary level of English at that time. Thirteen weeks to complete the material, which is designed for two and a half years, sounded like a complete insanity. But my passionate desire and endless daily suffering from three-hour English sessions paid off. Lots of tears were cried out, lots of sleepless nights were passed but it was nothing compared to how much my English level had risen. The brain worked to its limit, being in a dire situation where deadlines pressed every minute. However, without such extraordinary circumstances, I am convinced that even for a whole year I would not have mastered such voluminous information, because no one before had placed me in front of an abyss where it was necessary to quickly build a bridge to the next mountain until an earthquake came. After all the arguments provided above, I can confidently state that suffering naturally strengthens us, even if it is hard to overcome. Strong-willed people are not naturally born that way. Individuals who are really impressive, once upon a time, could be pathetic squabbles that any authoritarian person could put an end to without a twinge of conscience. Only pain and hardship can make people real better versions of themselves. In addition, in most literary works, films and life stories, heroes are transformed from weaklings into heroes precisely when they suffer. On that note, we have proven that mental and physical pain can be immensely beneficial for building a strong character. However, the question “How should we deal with suffering? ” still remains unanswered. Ordinarily, when we are overtaken by an unpleasant event that causes us pain and suffering, then a completely natural defense mechanism is triggered. The first thing we do in such a situation is to try by any means to get rid of this state, from memories and pain. As a rule, the more we try, the more they persecute us. Furthermore, we will not achieve the desired result if we focus all his attention on the deplorable situation. However, if one instantly turns his thinking in a contrary direction and brainstorm where these moral trials will lead himself and how much are they really needed in this situation, one’s condition would improve. “. . . I saw my suffering for what it was, finite and insignificant, and I was still. My suffering did not fit anywhere, I realized. And I could accept this. It was all right. ” (ch. 60) Even Pi eventually realizes that constant hypnosis of pain will not get him anywhere, but death. It is worth learning how to let go of this burden of emotions as soon as possible. Moreover, it is worth starting to perceive suffering as a path to self-improvement, enlightenment and a successful future.