"We may have a difficult time facing the suffering of others because we don't know how to deal with our own pain and fear" (14).

A very interesting concept.  I like how Ram Dass goes on to describe a hypothetical situation in which someone is afraid of seeing a terminally ill friend because it is that person's own death that they are scared of, not necessarily that of his friend's.

"Because we often identify ourselves, consciously or not, with our shortcomings, we may feel that we don't have enough, that we just aren't enough, to help meet the needs of others" (24).

Another interesting quote to think about.  I wasn't aware that we identify ourselves with our shortcomings, but now that I think about it, I certainly do.

Feeling inadequate is just an unfortunate and common reality of life.