Fear always

feels 

like avoiding 

suffering.

Putting up 

a wall

shutting out 

that visitor

who stays 

too long.

Maybe suffering

is a ghost;

a memory

that haunts

with threats

of incapacitating

or decapitating

abilities.

Suffering

is the evil

twin

of resilience.

Sapping

strength,

balance,

and agility,

suffering

conquers

us 

and 

is

an identity

thief.

It’s got

our 

number:

Persistently 

calling

us

to answer

their scam,

distracting 

us

incessantly 

from 

the rest

of life.

Resilience 

acknowledges

pain

and 

has space

for choice.

Suffering

devours

choice 

and 

hope,

limiting

possibility

to be

otherwise.

Resilience

remembers

accomplishment

with pain

and the possibility

of overcoming

overwhelming

experiences.

Suffering  is

a condition.

Pain is

an experience,

perhaps prolonged,

and even

from

a condition,

that is a part

of life—

not the experience

of life

itself. 

Pain 

is

a fact.

Suffering 

is 

a choice.