Course II - Teaching 3: Struggle for Life

But not only is an inner enemy knocking at the doors of the soul in sad times, since everything around a man is cause of sorrow. Perchance is not the whole life a continuous destruction, a continuous slaughter only to survive? And on a higher or lower scale, men are not entities wishing to absorb other men? Figuratively, we should say the mightiest planet wants to absorb the weakest one; and this continuous fight to keep the independence, this continuous temptation calling, flattering, pursuing, helping and destroying man, how many sorrows brings about!
But the Sacrifice that gives needful strength to stand and not succumb under the blow, and encourages recognizing, accepting and removing it at certain moment, is the means by which we are able to know our own courage and responsibility. Those who flee from sorrow continuously fall in it; and those who fear suffering, this suffering falls on top of them; but those who face it to know and conquer it, by their sacrifice gain a halo of liberty.
No human being can flee from sorrow, but many have made of it a source of understanding and happiness. Even men who ignore the spiritual life are proud of having suffered much because they feel that sorrow has hardened and transformed them into men.
Krishnamurti said in one of his talks, “Do not flee from sorrow, but join to it”.