Some pain is unavoidable. Our bodies grow old and sick. For now at least, there's no avoiding this. But suffering is optional. We suffer when we resist pain: [[Suffering is resistance to what is]]. Pain and suffering are words that are often used interchangeably, because most of us resist pain. There could be a good reason for this: adding suffering to pain will probably increase our motivation to avoid pain. But again, some pain is unavoidable. And my guess is that pain alone is usually enough motivation to say take our hand off the burning flame. So we might as well avoid suffering if we can, and we can. Our true [[Self]] doesn't suffer, because Self doesn't resist: [[Self welcomes all]].