“It is not true that suffering ennobles the character.” – W. Somerset Maugham “… our attitude determines whether we find a situation painful. We can be overwhelmed by suffering if we choose. Or we can accept our changing circumstances as natural and growth enhancing. “If we stay centered on God… we won’t be traumatized by the pain and turmoil of change.” – “In God’s Care*: Daily Meditations on Spirituality in Recovery,” May 21 *As We Understand God Painful times surely come my way like they do for everyone else, but I truly believe that suffering is optional, that I get to choose how I respond to the painful occurrence. In fact, I get to choose how I respond to all situations that arise in my life. My attitude determines not just whether I find a situation painful; my attitude determines how all situations will unfold and their end result. When I stay centered on God and walk with Spirit, whether during painful times, times of joy, and everything in between, my life is richer, I grow, and I draw closer to Spirit, always my goal.