Bears Quote by Andrew Solomon
“We cannot bear a pointless torment, but we can endure great pain if we believe that it's purposeful.”
About This Quote
Enduring suffering can be bearable when it feels meaningful.
In simple terms: Purposeful pain is tolerable.
Key Takeaway
Find meaning in hardship.
Themes
suffering
purpose
resilience
Mood
reflective
empathetic
Type
philosophical
inspirational
When to use this quote
- grief counseling
- medical recovery
- spiritual practice
- social activism
Key Concepts
existential meaning
psychology
Questions to Reflect On
- What gives your pain purpose?
- How can you reframe suffering?
A Different Perspective
Purpose may be subjective and hard to discern.
![“[The] pain is temporary. It may last a minute, an hour, a day, or a year, but eventually it subsides. And when it does, something else takes its place, and that thing might be called a greater space for happiness ... Each time we overcome pain, I believe that we grow.” quote by Lance Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/45b/lance-armstrong-1639_believe_the-pain-is-temporary-it-may-last-a-minu_1381989.jpg)
![“The rationale which accompanies that imposition of male authority euphemistically referred to as 'the battle of the sexes' bears a certain resemblance to the formulas of nations at war, where any heinousness is justified on the grounds that the enemy is either an inferior [part of the] species or…” quote by Kate Millett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/895/kate-millett-7301_accompany_the-rationale-which-accompanies-that-imp_8896.jpg)
