Out of suffering.....

Out of suffering have emerged the strongest souls;

the most massive characters are seared with scars.

~Kahlil Gibran

And I saw the river.....

And I saw the river over which every soul must pass 
to reach the kingdom of heaven
and the name of that river was suffering:
and I saw a boat which carries souls across the river
and the name of that boat was love.


~Saint John of the Cross