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Lovely Macandog

Wing

Pre AP English 10 Honors

26 April 2018

Pain to Prosperity

Heartbreak. An incurable feeling of crushing grief and anguish. It is inevitable that one

endures heartbreak numerous times throughout their existence, and overcoming this pain is what

grants humans the ability to truly experience and appreciate feelings of joy. This pain is what

shapes sympathetic, kind, and selfless individuals. In Oscar Wilde’s claim, “hearts live by being

wounded,” the correlation between pain and prosperity is not clearly seen, though it is

indisputable once explained. Metaphorically speaking, a wounded or broken heart is able to heal

to ten times its original size, eager to touch and enlarge the hearts of others. Those that overcome

such painful and dire experiences recover with great gratuity and generosity readily eager to

offer to the life around them.

Empathy is the ability of feeling or imagining what another person is experiencing or

going through. Furthermore, it is the ability to emotionally connect through someone else’s

happiness, fear, or sadness. Lacking empathy is the result of cruelty, oppression, and human

brutality. When criminals commit their wrongdoings, it is often because they are not burdened

with the understanding of what they have done and what they have made their victims feel. In

order to correct this, the idea of ‘restorative justice’ has been put in place as a solution for

criminals who lack the ability to empathize. In this, the offenders are met in person with victims

of similar offenses, to hear of how they have caused their suffering. The goal is for the offender

to understand what they have done and empathize with the pain they have made their victim feel.
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This awareness is meant to bring them growth in righteousness and grant them with the quality

of empathy in which makes humans truly human. In this, they are able to lead a more prosperous

life through the idea that “hearts live by being wounded,” because through the pain they can now

fathom, they are able to truly live.

It is justified that those who have undergone hard times are more willing to give back and

help tend to those in need. Even if they, themselves, are in no stable position to give back, those

that they help are in even greater need, so they feel obligated, more so willing, to do what they

can. This is most plausibly due to the experiences that they have been through. They understand

what it is like to be in great need, without resources, and they do not want others to feel the same

things that they have felt. In November of 2017, The Washington Post reported on a 34 year old

homeless man who spent his last $20 to buy gas for a woman whose car ran out. This man,

Johnny Bobbit, had been living on the streets for a year and a half, however, he did not think

twice before helping a stranger who was in need. Not only did he use the last of his money, but

he asked that the woman stay safe in her car while he walked to the nearest gas station for her,

asking for nothing in return, and knowing she had nothing to repay him. Without having been

through such desperate times, this man would not have been able to sympathize with what the

woman was going through. Thus, those who go through pain and rough times are more adequate

to being compassionate and generous.

On the other hand, many believe that going through rough times or pain can turn a person

cold and heartless. They argue that it is nearly impossible for good individuals not to turn bad

when they have to share the world with bad people. Yale psychologist, Stanley Milgram, carried

out experiments that concluded when good people are in bad situations, bad things happen that

can potentially change their morals and character. Examples of this are not only demonstrated in
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everyday instances, but also in fictional works. For example, in the film, Green Lantern, Hal

Jordan, or Parallax, was the most kind and genuine of the heroes. However, after Hank Henshaw

destroys Hal’s dear Coast City, it is just the beginning of all the bad to soon arise. Hal then

decides that he is going to slaughter all of the Lanterns. This instance further implies the concept

that when one is hurt, they can become heartless. Thus, when the heart is wounded, it is not

always enhancing one’s quality of life, concerning their gratitude and selflessness. However,

one’s actions are controlled by themselves, and only themselves. Turning cold hearted and cruel

in the events of pain, is their decision, and only their decision in displaying the type of person

that they are. Harsh conditions and experiences are not the cause of this, and to blame it on that

is simply dismissive. Countless individuals undergo unimaginably horrible experiences, yet, still

surface as compassionate and selfless individuals. Therefore, it remains certain that those who

have been hurt have the greatest potential to become more understanding and warmhearted.

When they are affected by detrimental events, they feel responsible and honored to be privileged

enough to spread happiness and positivity to those in need of it. This is the natural instinct of

human nature, not violence and aggression alike.

One must face pain as a spark for generosity and gratitude, which ultimately leads to

greater happiness in the future and more opportunities to bestow happiness upon others. Many

view pain as a negative experience and often try to avoid it at all costs. However, it is an

inevitable aspect of life which should be embraced. Focusing on the positivity that comes from it

and the countless number of life lessons to be interpreted, will allow growth and the ability to

truly experience happiness. Carrying out this philosophy in its truest form will allow prosperity,

not only for each individual, but for the world as a whole.