The well known Austrian poet and spiritual writer, Rainer Maria Rilke encouraged his young friend not to be a ""waster of sorrows,"" but to use them in a positive way as a means to help him grow in holiness.

And isnt this the challenge for all of us? Everyone has sorrows in life. The important question is: what can we do with them so that we dont waste them? Whether our sorrows are personal or communal, how can we share our mutual vulnerability so that we can connect with others in a way that leads to growth?

For over thirty years as a psychotherapist and spiritual director, Peter C. Wilcox...