Some things I believe, how I try to help others, and a question

I do try and respond to as many of the new posts in the forum. With each response, I find myself clarifying my own personal ideas. Of course, this means many of my responses sound a bit 'familiar', perhaps this is why.

I believe we are all unique as a result or truly unique experiences and how we each react & 'feel' these experiences in a different manner. As much as this statement seems (to me at least) to be quite basic and obvious, our society seems to want to quantifyeverythingso we can compare ourselves to each other. I knowIequated my job, my salary, my whatever, with whatIwas and whatIwas 'worth' (again with the numbers).

I realized, afterwaytoo many years that I suffered from anxiety and depression from the time I was a young boy. Suffering, withnoidea why, I looked for refuge in places that onlycausedmore suffering for myself. (All sorts of abuses from alcohol & drugs to food and sex. We've all heard and seen the stories way too many times.)

I believe that all sentient beings are suffering. Of course, this suffering is unique, leaving some of us feeling extremely alone. This suffering also is not quantifiable and has no words to describe it. Again, for far too many this leaves us feeling extremely alone.

So, where does that leave me? Through myparticularfaith (which again is unique and in this case completely unimportant to name) I am dedicating my life to trying to understand thetruesources of the causes of my suffering, albeitmydelusions.

I have made this dedication for a single purpose;notto escape my own personal suffering, but to assisteverysingle sentient (feeling) being on their joyful path to understanding and stop falling into the false traps of 'things' that seem to bring happiness, but never really do.

Will I be successful? (There we go measuring things again!) I'm not sure, butIam on a path. (I believe there are in factmanypaths and the only ones that don't reach the summit of a mountain are the ones at the bottom arguing which path is best.) Of course, this path is unique just for me. I believe thereisa path for everyone.

Ok. Where does that leave me? What canIdo right now. I try to smile at everyone that I meet. Not only does it confuse the heck out of them ;), but you never know who & how it will effect someone's 'moment'. (Try to explain what makes up the smallest things that make up your memories.) I alsoattemptto treat everyone with patience and loving kindness.

If it weren't for those that 'test' my patience, I'd never get to practice! They are in fact a gift of which I am fortunate! (Think aboutthatthe next time you are on your break and just want to get a bottle of water and the person in front of you is counting out exact change!)

For the most part, I am now (even at the age of 50) pretty much alone. I am very fortunate to have the Internet and canattemptto respond to people, often quite simply, just reminding themselves that itisa joyful path and to remember that they are unique and precious and how they should treat themselves with loving kindness and patience. (For some reason many find it easier to do that for friends, family and even strangers than to do that for ourselves.)

I also try to let them know how fortunateIfeel to have read theirpost and how I look forward to hearing from them in the future. (I would never be able to formulatemythoughts for myself, if it weren't for the great fortune of coming across others. It is a blessing, or whatever you may 'name' the same thing.)

Do any of you fine people have any thoughts on this line of reasoning and my attempts to help? I wouldloveto hear any suggestions!

Basically, how can I make myeveryliving breath & moment with a person like Fred Rogers, or Jesus, or Buddha, or Jehovah, or Ghandi, or countless others who dedicated their live to helping people across an ocean of suffering using merely a row boat?

If you gotthisfar, you are truly deserving of my thanks. I don't get to speak with other, like minded people, so writing ismyway of clarifying my thoughts.

Thank you