Focus Into the Moment

At some time in therapy people ask why life is unfair, why the good suffer, not caring so much why the evil may prosper, and more specifically they ask why is their pain so great and why life has seemed to conspire against them.  They ask why there ever was such pain and no discernible relief, no time when they can say it is finally over or at least for a time they will have life without its tragedies and estrangements.  They so want it to be fair.  In our dealing with people we can respond honestly and equitably, but there are no choices in our lives about what they do, about fate, or about anything else.  It helps, I think, to recognize and acknowledge the very limited nature of what is fair, and to spend less time and energy in anger about it.  It is also helpful to narrow expectations and focus into the moment, as it is beneficial to move from the global control residing in fate and force that seem blind to our distress, narrowing the process to aspects where people can have choices about what to do or how to respond, even if it is only in this moment.