More about suffering

The more you study suffering the more you know that getting outside yourself in the service of others is the best antidote for suffering. Here are some quotes to stimulate your thinking about how you might serve your fellow human beings.

“The purpose of life is not to be happy. It is to be useful, to be honorable, to be compassionate, to have it make some difference that you have lived and lived well.” 

― Ralph Waldo Emerson

“No one has ever become poor by giving.” 

― Anne Frank, diary of Anne Frank: the play

“The best way to not feel hopeless is to get up and do something. Don’t wait for good things to happen to you. If you go out and make some good things happen, you will fill the world with hope, you will fill yourself with hope.” 

― Barack Obama

“You have not lived today until you have done something for someone who can never repay you.” 

― John Bunyan

“I don't want to live in the kind of world where we don't look out for each other. Not just the people that are close to us, but anybody who needs a helping hand. I cant change the way anybody else thinks, or what they choose to do, but I can do my bit.” 

― Charles de Lint

“Love is not patronizing and charity isn't about pity, it is about love. Charity and love are the same -- with charity you give love, so don't just give money but reach out your hand instead.”

― Mother Teresa

“I like video games, but they're really violent. I'd like to play a video game where you help the people who were shot in all the other games. It'd be called 'Really Busy Hospital.” 

― Demetri Martin

“If you're not making someone else's life better, then you're wasting your time. Your life will become better by making other lives better.” 

― Will Smith

“I cannot do all the good that the world needs. But the world needs all the good that I can do.” 

― Jana Stanfield

“I'm starting to think this world is just a place for us to learn that we need each other more than we want to admit.” 

― Richelle E. Goodrich, Smile Anyway

“Those who are happiest are those who do the most for others.”

― Booker T. Washington, Up from Slavery

“A fine glass vase goes from treasure to trash, the moment it is broken. Fortunately, something else happens to you and me. Pick up your pieces. Then, help me gather mine.” 

― Vera Nazarian, The Perpetual Calendar of Inspiration

“One of the most important things you can do on this earth is to let people know they are not alone.” 

― Shannon L. Alder

“Remember this. Hold on to this. This is the only perfection there is, the perfection of helping others. This is the only thing we can do that has any lasting meaning. This is why we're here. To make each other feel safe.” 

― Andre Agassi, Open

“Disasters work like alarm clocks to the world, hence God allows them. They are shouting, 'Wake up! Love! Pray!” 

― Criss Jami, Killosophy

“Service to humanity is service to God.” 

― Lailah Gifty Akita, Think Great: Be Great!

“I dream of the humane dawn when we shan't be able to fill our bellies in comfort, while other folks go hungry - or sleep in warm beds, when others shiver in the cold - when we shan't be able to kneel or thank god for blessings before our shining alters, while our fellow beings anywhere in the world are kneeling either physical or spiritual subjection.” 

― Abhijit Naskar, Conscience over Nonsense

“The most rewarding thing in life; is finding a purpose in helping a fellow human without religious or ideological notions, and motivating others to do the same…..” 

― Husam Wafaei, Honourable Defection

“Charity is a temporary solution. It is a bridge and you don’t live on a bridge, you pass through it.” – On Charity” 

― Lamine Pearlheart, Aether

“Maybe we feel good when we help others because some small part within us remembers and connects to the knowing that we are all one.” 

― Akiroq Brost

“Sonnet of Sapiens

No religion is greater than love,

For love is the embodiment of divinity,

No church is higher than the self,

Cause the self is the manifestation of the Almighty,

No worship is greater than help,

For helping is the service of God,

No prayer is as sacred as kindness,

For in kindness lies the real act of the Lord,

No scripture is more glorious than the mind,

For the mind is the creator of the scriptures,

So learn from that scripture within to be of help to your kind,

And be the glue to the fabric of humanity healing all ruptures,

Heal your kind my friend with your wisdom and warmth transcendent,

If not you then who else will unify humanity and rise as sapiens triumphant.” 

― Abhijit Naskar, Fabric of Humanity

“As you grow older, you will discover that you have two hands: one for helping yourself, the other for helping others.” 

― Sam Levenson, In One Era & Out the Other

“Down or across the street are people living in need. Some, alone with no one who cares for them. Start on your own street and find those who will benefit by your kindness and service” 

― Brent M. Jones

“There is an old Chinese tale about the woman whose only son had died. In her grief, she went to the holy man and said, 'What prayers, what magical incantations do you have to bring my son back to life?' Instead of sending her away or reasoning with her, he said to her, 'Fetch me a mustard seed from a home that has never known sorrow. We will use it to drive the sorrow out of your life.' The woman set off at once in search of that magical mustard seed. She came first to a splendid mansion, knocked at the door and said, 'I am looking for a home that has never known sorrow. Is this such a place? It is very important to me.' They told her 'You've certainly come to the wrong place,' and began to describe all the tragic things that had recently befallen them. The woman said to herself, 'Who is better able to help these poor unfortunate people than I, who have had misfortune of my own?' She stayed to comfort them, then went on in her search for a home that had never known sorrow. But wherever she turned, hovels and in palaces, she found one tale after another of sadness and misfortune. Ultimately, she became so involved in ministering to other people's grief that she forgot about her quest for the magical mustard seed, never realizing that it had in fact drive the sorrow out of her life.” 

― Harold S. Kushner, When Bad Things Happen to Good People

“To be wealthy, powerful or famous does mot matter to me. Starting a social good ripple that will turn to an ocean wave matters to me.” 

― Petek Kabakci

“He who has little problems, shows little love. He who has overcome huge problems, has giant love. Because he understands what it means and won’t have others suffer like he did.” 

― Dragos Bratasanu, Ph.D.