Over the weekend, a stomach bug tore through my family. We started dropping like flies Saturday morning until the last two standing fell on Monday night. For me, it came Saturday evening, when I spent about an hour just waiting to lose my dinner.
I found that when it comes to this type of illness, it’s always the lead-up that is the worst.
It reminds me of a quote that I heard recently attributed to the Stoic philosopher Seneca: “He suffers more than necessary who suffers before it is necessary.” He also said, “We suffer more often in imagination than in reality.” I think either one applies here.
As adults, as parents, as spouses, caregivers, and caretakers, there’s a lot to manage. There’s a lot to anticipate. There’s a lot to prepare for. There’s a lot that turns into worry, anxiety, and stress.
This is what our Lord was getting at when He said, “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself.”
So often, we suffer twice, or maybe even three times, for the same thing. We suffer in anticipation, we suffer in reality, and then we suffer in retrospect. Struggles, obstacles, and suffering are a part of life. St. Alphonsus Liguori said that, like a fire needs air, a soul needs tribulation in order to be perfected.
Suffering is necessary. But what we do before and after can make all the difference.
Let us pray. Lord Jesus, You show us how to carry the cross. Give us the strength, the patience, and the wisdom to follow You in carrying our own. In Your Name. Amen.
Keep fighting the good fight. Our Lady of Victory, pray for us.
