description: The elegant style and pragmatic tone of Eugene Kennedy's writing are typified in the following passage: "We may thank God that we can feel pain and know sadness, for these are the human sentiments that constitute our glory as well as our grief." As a psychologist, Kennedy is concerned with the mature person and notes that maturity is marked by the acceptance of the distress that is part and parcel of our relationships with others. Escape into drugs, work, vapid entertainment, or even prayer, is not a solution. We must accept the pain as well as the pleasure of relationships, for "close and affectionate relationships with other people are the prime signal of healthy personhood."  It is interesting that there is no place for solitude in Kennedy's world. Perhaps he is right that the primary obligation for all of us is the difficult work of loving others. 
language: English
title: Pain of Being Human
titlecomplete: Pain of Being Human
genres: Philosophy, Self Help, Nonfiction
ratings_count: 39
publisher: Galilee Trade