Stephen Colbert is no stranger to loss. At only 10 years old, Colbert lost his father and two of his brothers in a tragic plane crash.<\/p>\n
Colbert took a break from his normal gig as a late-night show host and sat down with CNN’s Anderson Cooper to talk more about suffering, loss and tragedy in relation to faith.<\/p>\n
Colbert has a very unique view of his loss, though. Anderson mentioned Colbert saying that he learned to \u201clove the thing that I most wish had not happened.\u201d When Anderson asked him “what punishment of Gods are not gifts. Do you really believe that?”<\/p>\n
“Yes,” replied Colbert. “It’s a gift to exist and with existence comes suffering. There’s no escaping that.”<\/p>\n
He continued, \u201cWhat do you get from loss? You get awareness of other people\u2019s loss, which allows you to connect with that other person, which allows you to love more deeply and to understand what it\u2019s like to be a human being if it\u2019s true that all humans suffer.\u201d<\/p>\n
Cooper, like Colbert, also has experienced tragic loss. Cooper was also 10 when his father died of a heart attack, and just this year Cooper lost his mother as well.<\/p>\n
Colbert is a known Catholic, and believes that Jesus’ suffering helped him understand his own loss.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn my tradition, that\u2019s the great gift of the sacrifice of Christ,\u201d Colbert said. \u201cIs that God does it, too. That you\u2019re really not alone. God does it, too.\u201d<\/p>\n
You can watch the full interview below.<\/p>\n
\nYou said “what punishment of gods are not gifts. Do you really believe that?” @andersoncooper<\/a>, choking back tears, asks Stephen Colbert, as they discuss grief.<\/p>\n
“Yes,” replies the comedian. “It’s a gift to exist and with existence comes suffering. There’s no escaping that.” pic.twitter.com\/p5rUUhZKxq<\/a><\/p>\n
\u2014 Anderson Cooper 360\u00b0 (@AC360) August 16, 2019<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n