Christan's. In addition to Christ, has suffering been your teacher?

I have experienced emotional suffering more than physical suffering (in the form of grief/mourning, as well as deep depression), and I have learned to have compion for myself (while trying to avoid self-pity) and to ride the storm out. Experience teaches me that it DOES get better, there are others who have been where I am - even tho I may not think so when I'm at the bottom of that well, past experience says otherwise.