If somebody gives you a kit with which you can something you need, is it still a gift? I say yes.

Mindless suffering is indeed something of no value. But mindful suffering for me has been extraordinarily valuable.

For example, I recently did my first triathlon. The training had plenty of suffering. The race was, in some ways, miserable. But because I embraced the suffering, I've grown a lot. Not just physically, but also mentally.

Losing people close to me worked similarly. The suffering was enormous. But so was the growth.