BY: AKMAL AZIZ

Undergoing suffering and affliction produces maturity in us, and makes us more resilient and stoic in our behaviour, and empowers us with the ability to withstand anything life throws at us. In other words, suffering and affliction makes us strong.

This does not mean a person should needlessly suffer or self-inflict themselves in order to become mature. On the contrary, as a person goes through life, he or she would naturally encounter suffering and affliction.

Neither should an escapist mentality be developed by those undergoing suffering and affliction. Instead of trying to cop out, they should learn to fully understand that suffering and affliction are actually “opportunities in work clothes.”

Therefore, don’t avoid suffering and affliction but choose rather to solve as best as possible whatever suffering and affliction a person is going through by working it out rather than pass the buck and become a burden upon family, relatives and friends.

Suffering and affliction is also a way for us to display character. There is no suffering and affliction that is new in this world, though it might reinvent itself, but there must not be the feeling or belief that only our poor selves are suffering and afflicted.

Don’t whinge and whine: “Why me? Why me” Others have gone through similar or worse experiences than us and have overcome and triumphed and as for any kind of suffering and affliction it is good to remember these three words: “It will pass.”

-THE MALAYSIA VOICE

** The views expressed on this opinion is of the writer and not the publisher