A little boy was walking up and down the beach picking up starfish that had washed ashore, and throwing them back into the ocean. For some reason there were hundreds! He did this for quite awhile. A crusty old man sauntered up to the focused young man.
" Look here boy, he snaps...what good is all this ? There are too many to save!"

The little boy looks up at the old man and stares into his eyes.
"But mister"...the little boy answers..."just think how happy the ones are that I do save!"

For myself, this is as good as it gets. I can not allow myself the angst that I once endured with all the suffering that exists. Suffering will always be. What we choose to do with our compassion and the awareness is the key.

I had my window of compassion open all the way and I almost died. I was no good to anyone.
I have had to lower my window...

This existence is not Utopia. It never will be. It is a means for us to gain an understanding of ourselves and what we choose to do with that knowledge.