pain
we all know what that is
pain can be physical
or emotional,
or mental
it can be spiritual
where our very years cry out
and we don’t like it
for most of us pain feels like an affront
we see it as abnormal and deviant
a disruption in a life that should be
easy
but life isn’t easy
it is messy
and pain full
and so we run
we hide
we medicate
we strike out
we plead with the Sacred
we do anything we can to get away from the pain
but pain is part of life
therefore our attempts to avoid pain, to remove pain
in the end
simply take down a pathway away from life
and, paradoxically
away from good
away from love, and commitment, and service
for there is unavoidable pain in all the good things of
life
when seek to deny pain we get angry and frustrated
(for it keeps coming back)
we become closed
(so we don’t get hurt)
we may become violent
(no defense like a good offense)
When we seek to deny pain we lose so much
intimacy, love
everything
we cannot avoid pain
we can simply accept it
and live it
and use it
and transform it
we can breathe it in
welcome it
hold it
until instead of being bitter
we become better
pain can make us more human
more empathic
more understanding
more caring
we can become wounded healers
people who, because of our own pain,
can walk with others through their pain
it is a beautiful thing when scarred, scared
confused people
come together
and limp and stagger together down the road of life
some call this fellowship
whatever we call it
it is our calling
to transform our pain
as Jesus transformed his
into something that brings
peace
and forgiveness
and hope
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