I feel like I am trapped in my own mind and I’ll explain you why. Since 2008, I started to develop this pity feeling about people in general, specially people who have no opportunities in life, who live on the streets, who go to jail, who live in the “favelas” (I live in Brazil), who work in simple jobs, like cleaning, for instance. I feel like they have no reason to live because life doesn’t get any better to the majority of them. I also feel sorry because people are not concerned about changing themselves, how they are and how the world is. I feel deeply sorry for people who suffer, either because of poverty, of sickness, of wars, of drugs. I know that I am wrong and I shouldn’t feel sorry for anyone, not even for myself. I know that everybody is where its conscious is and that their lives, like my own, are a reflect of their own evolution stage (if I can call it like that). I know all that, but I can’t refrain myself from feeling this way. You see, I know one thing, but I feel another, that is why I feel like I am trapped in my own mind and I don’t know that answer for this. I just don’t want to feel sorry for anyone because that is really bothering me and making me depress… I would like you to help with this…

I’ll try to speak good English, I’m from Holland, 24 years old and read your books with much joy. But this dilemma keeps me busy:

A caterpillar makes a cocoon and naturally transforms into a butterfly. If he would fight against the fact of being a caterpillar and make his own wings out of leafs or be depressed or in any other way distrust any force of nature, he wouldn’t ever make a cocoon. But on the other hand when he would deny his limitations as being a caterpillar and would pretend to be just as free as all butterflies he would never desire progression and so never make a cocoon either.

So now my question is; as being a human .. where is the border of acceptance and taking action?

I am 37 years old and is doing pretty well in life. I consider myself well rounded, kind hearted and with a great spirit. For the last 5 years I have been praying for the gift of a companion and a family. Most of my relationships have been long term but filled with fear of commitment from the other party and then I usually walk away because I feel like I am wasting my time. Of late I am filled with a feeling of sadness as I get older. How can I find peace and find a lifelong partner who is willing to commit?