Contagious suffering

I think we in the West are all rather good at this whole avoidance thing.

Avoidance to suffering that is. We are skittish when it comes to grief, to age, to disaster. Because it amplifies that we are a) ignorant b) negligent c) tightfisted. There may be some generosity when it comes to disaster but I truly wonder how it balances out comparing to the frequent self-serving purchases we make to satisfy our own deep-shallow holes?

I stopped reading the papers a couple years back (past that now) because it was all too much – that was after I asked God for a bit more awareness around being compassionate… that’s one way to shut of the stream.

I was tempted to turn the news off tonight, because it was too full on.
I’m dragging out going to see my grandpa at the hospital, because I know things will hit home when I do.

I’m am as at fault as any.

It seems to be the visibility of suffering that evokes this fear… perhaps we think we can catch it?

Then perhaps we should be trying catch it?