He Sounds Like Gen-la

I was reading an article today in the local newspaper about a local doctor who goes to Africa to treat victims of civil strife and illness. Here's the key excerpt:

Over the course of five days, he would help as many as he could, treating bombing victims, as well as those afflicted with illnesses such as malaria and dysentery.
It all stands in stark contrast to his everyday life as a family doctor who treats mostly elderly patients. Yet, he insists that there isn't much of a difference between the two.
"I can go from one theater to another. It's just nicer and cleaner here," Kelley said. "From a medical standpoint, pain is pain. Suffering is suffering."

It reminded me of when Gen-la Dekyong was asked to  move from Seattle to New York City. Such different places, most of us think; but Gen-la said they're very similar: full of suffering people.

Likewise, in Vancouver she encouraged us to see what we share with everyone we see or think about, whether we know them or not: We all have the wish for lasting happiness. Recognizing that commonality helps us care about others; we're connected because we're all in essentially the same situation.