Pain Instructs
Pain hurts. But it also carries a lesson.
“That which hurts, also instructs.” — Benjamin Franklin
Here I sit in Pain.
And I am grateful for it. Not for the Pain itself, but for what it teaches. Of all the instructors I benefit from in LIfe, it is perhaps the greatest.
My second medical procedure in a month went without a hitch. This time it was laparoscopic surgery to repair a small umbilical hernia. If all goes well, I will be back in action in about a month.
In the meantime, my old friend Pain keeps me company. My midsection feels like its been punched repeatedly... by Mike Tyson. I don’t respond well to pain medication, so instead of avoiding Pain, I converse with it day and night.
What do we discuss?
I say to Pain, “I can barely walk.”
Pain says to me, “Be grateful for the ability to walk.”
I say to Pain, “I cannot find a comfortable position to sleep.”
Pain says to me, “Be grateful for what sleep you have.”
I say to Pain, “Standing up is difficult.”
Pain says to me, “Be grateful for the ability to stand up.”
I say to Pain, “Every breath hurts.”
Pain says to me, “Be grateful for every breath.”
I say to Pain, “I cannot focus on my work.”
Pain says to me, “Be grateful for your work.”
Back and forth we go. I complain like a small child while Pain reminds me to be grateful for what I still have... and for what I now take for granted.
As the voice of Pain fades, its lesson of gratitude remains. And long after I heal, I will remember this lesson well. It is just one of many I have learned.
Farewell my old friend. You leave me stronger in parting. I have no doubt we will meet again. For you have many lessons yet to teach.
🤔 Food for Thought:
What have you learned from Pain?
Have you gained strength from its lessons?
How have you applied these lessons to Life?
⚙️ One Small Step:
The next time you hurt and feel the sting of Pain, take time to get acquainted with it. Then think of the ways in which it instructs. Is it gratitude as it was for me? Or is it something else? Do not miss this opportunity for growth.