Some lessons are so hard to learn. No matter how many times we get burned, there's always a profound sense of disappointment whenever defilements manifest in human character. We're all human and none of us is perfect, but maybe we just want to believe that we are actually becoming better people. May we all strive on toward deliverance.

By ourselves is evil done,

By ourselves we pain endure.

By ourselves we cease from wrong,

By ourselves become we pure.

No one saves us but ourselves,

No one can and no one may.

We ourselves must walk the path,

Buddhas merely show the way.