We all know that scorching feeling when the dirt under our feet seems to disappear and we swallow our tears. I guess one didn't really got to know pain until they stood on their knees and prayed. Pain. This harrowing feeling leaves you empty, agonizing and asking: why? Why me? Why now? What did I ever do to deserve it? Will it ever end? These moments can make you angry on God and question divinity and faith.
"What you do hurts me. I am in pain because you don't do this. Please do something about it. Please stop hurting me " How often have we said or have we heard these words in our lives and they didn't make any sense because we were unable to grasp the pain of the other and make the changes and viceversa? . Pain... We can see it, but understanding it is what makes the human relationships so complex.
Every person has their own story of suffering. I can't imagine which story is worse or if we can compare one pain with another. A husband who dies or the child who dies? Which is worse? And then we are left with the living... Is it more painful to be alive and stuck in a loveless marriage? How about being abused and cheated? Or terribly alone? What if your child suffers from an illness? What if you are an orphan versus having horrible parents still alive? How much pain can we suppose that each experience "deserves"? I believe that we can never compare the pain of different human beings. For every person their personal pain is the worst. It is interesting though to notice how much from our suffering comes from the past or from the things we can't change. Some things happened 20 years ago and people still define themselves by them. They can't let go, they fuel their pain although there is nothing to be gained.
I have often thought about pain and the purpose of it. What I have realized is that life is undoubtely made out of pain. When a baby comes into the world, the mother is in agony. But from that pain there comes the utter joy of holding that miracle in your hands. For new cells to emerge, old cells have to die. There is a natural cycle of death and life, of pain and joy. Who would I be without the painful experiences? I realize that pain has the purpose to teach you, to sculpt you, to bring you to the best version of yourself. This is if you choose to learn the lesson and not dwell in victimization or resentment. Pain is a teacher because I would have never understood the pain I have caused others if that same pain wouldn't had been caused to me. In that precise moment we don't get it. But if the lesson repeats one can spiritually awaken and get it. An Aha! moment happens. Everything changes. You open the eyes and see your heart, your soul, beyond the experience. You see that the pain is always about something within you which had to be seen by you!
Pain will happen. Feelings of suffering, resentment, anger, contempt and resignation are a choice. I can't change the past and I can't allow it to define me. Pain is the tool by which the Universe makes you gain your faith. Think about how strong your faith is and how your life has been going until now. Is there any good to believe that you can make it in life without faith? I look around and see that the majority of people who lack genuine, authentic faith are unhappy and suffering. And I guess this is part of their journey and we should not judge. Instead we could send them thoughts of love and hope that they are healing and working on themselves.
I know how it feels to be angry on God. I know how it is to lose and gain faith. I have known pain. I have known joy. With all of my experiences I know that I am unique and one of a kind on this Planet as no other human being has my story. The same is with you and the other 7 billions people on this blue dot. We are all unique. Faith is not about going to church on Sunday pretending to be a good person only to gossip and talk trash about others afterwards. Faith is not about wearing crosses and bring Jesus in every talk. Faith is not about showing that you have it to those who don't. Faith is about letting that infinite power of peace, love and acceptance to guide you through this earthly journey. Faith is about praying when you truly feel you want an answer. Faith is about knowing that a higher force has your back and that everything happens for a reason. Even pain. I think about the enormous bolders of stone and how magnificent sculptures have been made out of them. This is us. A sacred spirit and soul covered in flesh and bones. I am not my body neither anything else material. I am not my experiences, I am just a spirit having a journey. The sculpting part of the soul is always done through pain and the lesson comes after we have chosen to let go of the suffering and see what pain is trying to teach us.
If you experienced immense pain, consider that you have been given the tools to be sculpted. Little by little. The higher versions of yourself will need more work. What have you become after your pain? Have you taken revenge on others? Did you become a better person? Have you become numb and careless? Have you gained faith and compassion? Now it is easily understandable why people dwell in the past and hold on to old pain: they are not ready for the new version of themselves waiting to be fulfilled. And that is ok. Every person has a journey. A journey of faith, pain and spiritual awakening. A new version of me will demand a higher effort, sacrifice and improvement. Pain will be involved. We can't choose the pain, but we can choose what we take out of it. Either way, a lesson will be learned. Sooner or later.
Adversity is like a flame. It melts the weak but tempers the strong. There are two types of people in the world: You are either a realist or retarded, plastic or platinum!!! Which are you? It is when we are going through pain and suffering that we truly discover who we are. For even a diamond must be cut and ground before it can shine.
Thanks for sharing this Mary. It was very deep.
Hello hippie! Indeed adversity can be a catalyst for some of us. Like a very tough sword which has been forged, nothing can break you after you win resilience and post-pain wisdom. I believe that I am a diamond in continuous polishing. Every experience shapes me into what I am destined to become. I strive to learn from my mistakes and from my pain. It is tough to swallow adversity in that very moment but now as I look back I realize that I needed every bit of painful experience to be what I am today. I look back and say: wow, I am proud that I have overcome this! I can't imagine from where the strenghts comes. ...God most likely. My faith has kept me on the surface in many moments when I could have gone terribly low. Something higher than me. I guess this is the purpose of pain: to make you go so deep that you discover how high you can grow.
I truly appreciate that you took the time to read and leave such a beautiful comment!
Hello hippie! Indeed adversity can be a catalyst for some of us. Like a very tough sword which has been forged, nothing can break you after you win resilience and post-pain wisdom. I believe that I am a diamond in continuous polishing. Every experience shapes me into what I am destined to become. I strive to learn from my mistakes and from my pain. It is tough to swallow adversity in that very moment but now as I look back I realize that I needed every bit of painful experience to be what I am today. I look back and say: wow, I am proud that I have overcome this! I can't imagine from where the strenghts comes. ...God most likely. My faith has kept me on the surface in many moments when I could have gone terribly low. Something higher than me. I guess this is the purpose of pain: to make you go so deep that you discover how high you can grow.
I truly appreciate that you took the time to read and leave such a beautiful comment!
Pain! Pain! Pain!
You know what they say, No pain no gain. Pain it's inevitable.
Some people are not able to move on in life because of their experiences of pain in the past
Pain has been there even before we were born.
Nobody can say they have experienced less or more pain than others.
People have different perception about pain, to me the pain we go through in our life dealings made us.
There is no gold without purification (pain), No success without hardwork.
Hi! This line Pain has been there even before we were born. made me think about the birth of the Universe lol. If the collision of galaxies and stars could be considered painful than indeed there was pain before everything came to life.
I do believe we are all subjective when we talk about OUR pain. It is only natural as it takes time to realize that everything passes and not all of our sufferings remain. Time washes away the emotional triggers and we can remain with the wisdom after we process the pain.
Thank you for reading my thoughts and leaving a lovely comment!
Hi! This line Pain has been there even before we were born. made me think about the birth of the Universe lol. If the collision of galaxies and stars could be considered painful than indeed there was pain before everything came to life.
I do believe we are all subjective when we talk about OUR pain. It is only natural as it takes time to realize that everything passes and not all of our sufferings remain. Time washes away the emotional triggers and we can remain with the wisdom after we process the pain.
Thank you for reading my thoughts and leaving a lovely comment!