The difference between suffering and sacrifice is determined by who it is for. It is a fine line.
If it is for someone or something we love - whether that be our spouses, our kids, friends, our neighbors, the divine good, or even strangers that mean something to us - those are sacrifices. The suffering is worth something bigger than our pain.
If it is for a bully - those that merely want more power, our ego, our fears and demons, nefarious intents, toxic culture, or the wicked - that suffering simply feels senseless.
If I am suffering at the hands of a bully, am I doing so because I have no choice? Or have I just not stood up yet?
I agree with the Buddhists (and others) that suggest suffering is an inevitable part of life, and that we must detach from it. But perhaps a philosophy of non-attachment still leaves room to push against suffering that is senseless.
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