I cannot even imagine what you must be going through, Patrick. Indeed, my fear in taking your question this week is that because of my lack of a similar experience my answer might come across as unempathetic. But you complain that “some of your responses to questions, like mine, are based on a subjective point of view,” so if I respond with objective argument, you will, I hope, forgive me.
In dealing with cases of apparently pointless suffering like yours, I think it crucial to distinguish between the intellectual problem of suffering and the emotional problem of suffering. This is especially important in cases of bereavement. You surely are aware that those going through the process of grieving typically experience a period of anger just as you have. You have a lot of emotions to process during this time. Your letter leads me to believe that you are suffering from the emotional problem of suffering, not the intellectual problem of suffering. For your letter contained virtually no argument of any sort, just expressions of raw emotions. To deal with this problem you need the help of a pastor or counselor, not a philosopher like me. What I can do is to offer some thoughts concerning the intellectual problem, which may set your mind at ease so that you can deal with the emotional problem in a proper way.
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