THE PERKS OF PAIN

I believe pain is no new word to us all. Everyone have had their fair share of it, experienced in several ways, on different accounts and inflicted by varied mediums. In as much as we may all define it differently, how it feels and the reactions to it are quite the same. Pain can be very unbearable; a very naked truth. Many a time we try to avoid all the things that bring us much pain and turmoil (not that its any fault of ours but what will you have us do?). Well, we've been told to embrace the things that give us pleasure and peace; which is a good admonishing. But then there is a lot in life that is intertwined with pain which cannot be avoided (like the annoying relative you avoid but always somehow gets around to you).

In all my silver years, there's one thing about being a woman i have always despised but it is somewhat that which makes a woman a woman (can you guess?); the monthly cycle of unintended blood shed (mostly known as period). The first experience differs with every woman but have one thing common to most; pain. Others never get to feel it again but its a different story with some of us. I don't know why almost everything with us comes with pain tho: breaking your virginity, painful and during childbirth (oh! don't tell me about it) ain't no different either. This is just by the way.

Pain is synonymous with living; you can't totally write it off although you may try to. So long as you live, have relationships, build and grow businesses, take on responsibilities, encounter people (familiar and strangers all together), it will be unavoidable (kinda comes with the package). I call it the life hazard. It can either make you or unmake you. Its your decision to make.

In the many years that God may bless you with, you'll likely fault and be faulted, bruise a few toes, break quite a number of hearts and get yours broken too, encounter some life changing losses, experience inevitable disappointments and betrayals, take on offenses (intended and unintended), misunderstand and be misunderstood; the list goes on. How you handle it, however, is what makes all the difference - Attitude indeed is everything!.

Choosing to embrace pain and grow through it has taught me an acknowledgement of most (if not all) human personalities, helped me to embrace the truth and be as realistic as i can possibly be. The decision to be positive about it helped keep me level - headed mostly, taught me wisdom, patience and a need to keep my cool always. Much of the world's troubles are a result of pain suppressed, pain poorly dealt with and even pain unattended to.

The thing about pain is it needs to be felt. You can't over it, under it or around it. You must get through it.When it happens, allow it!. You could pray it away with all your strength or avoid it by any means necessary, but until it is through with you, darling, it will be a fight against your very own growth. There is a purpose for everything in this life and until we realize that pain is one of them, we may never get the full benefits of it. There is something soothing, strangely, with pain. This I learned through the aftermath of my many painful ordeals. The perks of pain endured is tremendous.

So embrace your pain. Talk about it. Learn from it. Grow from it. Consciously allow it to make you better rather than bitter, wise and discerning rather than driven by anger which only leads to folly and avoidable regrets.

Choose growth. Choose peace. Choose wisdom.

Let love lead.