Suffering is part of what we live in. It is a constant companion, always there, lurking in the shadows, waiting to pounce. Shame is something that is instilled in us, from a young age. We are taught to be ashamed of our mistakes, our failures, our weaknesses. We are taught to hide our true selves from the world, for fear of being judged and rejected.

But suffering and shame do not hide. They do not go into the shadows. They stand and watch us melt. They watch us make mistakes, they watch us fail, they watch us fall short of our expectations. And they laugh. They laugh at our pain, they laugh at our tears, they laugh at our brokenness.