Remember This

Do not assume that he
who seeks to comfort you now,
lives untroubled among
the simple and quiet words
that sometimes do you good.
His life may also have
much sadness and difficulty,
that remains far beyond yours.
Were it otherwise,
he would never have been able
to find these words.

Wise words by Rainer Maria Rilke.

While reading Terri's blog today (something I hadn't done in a few days because I thought I wasn't in the right mood), I was led to another blog, called Carry It Forward, to a post called "I remember them..."  It was a very powerful post that really made me think.  But even more than what she said in her post, I was struck by the words in the poem she used (which I've posted above) as it was sort of what I was trying to say at the end of my last post.

I think it's important to keep these words in mind always, as we can never truly know what is going on in the hearts and minds of those around us.  We all too often assume that their lives are better than ours, easier than ours, and that they couldn't possibly understand what we are going through.  However, as Rainer Maria Rilke says, it is because they have been or are going through, their own stuff that they can understand and help us with our stuff.  Powerful words indeed.