We, the Miserable

Let me just start off by apologizing for a depressing post at Christmas time, but I do think this fitting somehow. I have been reading the unabridged version of Victor Hugo's Les Miserables (which I cannot recommend enough) and reflecting on the themes he deals with that are present in my life, as well as the rest of the world. Also I just watched The Hunger Games: Catching Fire and that might have had something to do with this post as well.
I won't go into detail about what's going on in my life right now (you might be reading for hours) but suffice it to say that it is not hard for anyone to reflect upon their lives and find some amount of miserableness in it. The amazing thing that I am realizing is, you can go deeper. If you look further into your life or the lives of those around you, you will probably be able to pick out chains of misery that have passed down from generation to generation. You can find the wretchedness in everyone's life. Seeing this led me to another reflection.
Human beings are constantly crying out for God. This is not a choice; we are built for it. You are a human being, therefore, you ache for the love of God. There is no choice, and even if you think you aren't, I assure you, any passion that you may have, anything in your life that you try to fill the hole in your heart with, is indirectly a call out to God. We are all miserable, mainly because we know perfection exists, and we cannot obtain it in this world, no matter how hard we try. We may get close, but ultimate perfection is only found in heaven, in the presence of our Lord.
So, the solution I have found for dealing with misery in the world, and the reason I find this post appropriate to the Christmas season, is that we should love others. It seems pretty straightforward, even though it is easier said than done. This is, after all, the thing that Jesus stressed the most in his life and ministry. But how to go about it? Pray for others; give unexpected acts of kindness toward those you don't favor; and separate yourself from any negative feelings. Even if you find that there is no capacity for love, you can still fight complete misery by denouncing feelings of hate or envy that arise in you. You may not be able to help those feelings, but you can separate yourself from them, saying "I will not identify myself with these negative feelings," and even then you are taking a small step in the right direction. Snuffing out the vices in your life will give room for the virtues to grow.

I wish patience, love, and kindness towards all you, brothers and sisters, in this Advent/Christmas season, and for the rest of your lives.