[pullquote align=”left” background=”on”]The day is etched in my mind forever. ~ Neil Heslin[/pullquote]

When Neil Heslin lost his only son to the tragedy of the Sandy Hook shooting, he had only one question:

“What changes could we all make to help try to prevent suffering like that in people in the future?”

His question was seemingly simple, at first – but, represented a truth that was much deeper still. That born from the ashes of even the greatest of tragedy, is the capacity to find purpose…clarity, and strength.

It was within this question, that one father – who lost it all – showed the world that his spirit could not be broken.

[blockquote source=”His Holiness, the Dalai Lama”]”There is a saying in Tibetan, ‘Tragedy should be utilized as a source of strength.’ No matter what sort of difficulties, how painful experience is, if we lose our hope, that’s our real disaster.”[/blockquote]

There is a most beautiful lesson here, and I hope you will all take the time to listen.

From the Question & Answer Session at the Art of Suffering Retreat, held at Blue Cliff Monastery in Pine Bush, NY, in August of 2013.