Are some more worthy of others? The scale of suffering

I wonder is there really a 'scale of suffering'.  If you have this you have 100% care and support, if you have that you have 50% care and support and if you have that, you'll get none!

Well there is actually.  Those with cancer will often be seen as the most worthy of love, care and support...whilst those who have mental health problems...well , no, nothing much at all!  Someone , young with a brain tumour is far more worthy of 'Oh God how dreadful' , if held against someone struggling for years and years with a neuro-degenerative condition, that makes 'Quality of life' miserable.

Of course a big difference is having a loving understanding family and not having a loving understanding family. The former ill person can be hugely helped and supported by LOVE whilst the latter can sink into a mire of depression and anxiety without the love and support a family should/could give.  But not all illnesses have the same cachet in the stakes of 'love' to be offered here!

People's perceptions are shaped by growing up with myths of 'worthy' versus 'not worthy'. From childhood to be blind was seen as a worse fate than to be deaf, yet Helen Keller said something very astute about being deaf and blind...she said 'Blindness cuts you off from THINGS, Deafness cuts you off from PEOPLE'.  For her if she were to be 'cured' of one sense she'd chose was her deafness. She knew her isolation from PEOPLE conversation, relationships, community was what hurt most.   Yet did you know public perceptions about being blind versus being deaf means Blind charities get three times more than deaf organisations in donations.

There are age perceptions too.  Little children's illnesses are perceivably far more worthy of help, love and support than say a 70 year old. Even more so if the child is pretty, smiley and 'adorable'. Photogenic for fund raising. Newspapers love a child-help fund-raiser.

No-one likes this discussion and I won't be popular for this conversation. But when we divide who DESERVES the love and support, then we are on a slippery slope of inhumanity.  When we see some illnesses, some impairments and some individuals - based on age as more deserving than others then the soul and heart has been compromised.

For all are worthy and suffering in all it's guises is a monster that needs the fighting of a love that can beat despair of that monster. 

And no suffering is 'deserved' or 'less' than the other, no age group more worthy than another for Love should shoulder all....irrespective of the differences, or ages.