My dear,
Pain is inevitable, but suffering is optional. You may choose not to suffer even when the pain is there.
You are you, above yourself. Understand this to be true.
You are not your physical sensations, nor your mental thoughts, nor your emotional reactions. You are you, and you are experience all of these on a daily basis. The pain done upon your body is just that, pain done upon your body. Suffering though is a mental and emotional choice. You can choose to suffer from the pain. Or, you can choose to get through it calmly, grow, and eventually learn from it.
Always remember, you are not your physical sensations, nor your mental thoughts, nor your emotional reactions. You are you.
Falsely yours,
Thích Nhất Hạnh
