Necessary Pain

"And he said, 'Your pain is the breaking

of the shell that encloses your understanding. Even as the stone of the fruit must break, that its heart may stand in the sun, so must you know pain.'" - Kahlil Gibran

Sometimes I agree with this statement, other times I’m not so sure.  I don’t think he means literally that pain can give way to growth... but perhaps more than development/evolution can bring pain – a productive pain that can lead to better things.  We all have painful experiences, but I feel it is our personal responsibility to use it to learn and become better versions of ourselves.

I tend to imagine this small seed as it wakes up in the dirt.  Pushing its way past the protective shell, roots beginning to borrow a small opening for expansion, I imagine it would be painful to fight one's way through the earth... Yet it is necessary, otherwise it cannot become a beautiful plant or a strong tree... (I'm also thinking of the story I shared earlier about a Butterfly's Struggle.)  

Over my experiences, I have had a lot of pain... At the time of the (emotional/mental/physical) injury I can be overwhelmed and often shut down.  Sometimes it is easier to push the hurt to the back burner, clear my mind, and go on without any form of connection to life or what happened.  At first, I didn't know another way to handle it... processing that level of pain is too hard and leaves me feeling completely lost.  As I am growing older, I want - no I need to learn how to deal with things as they come so that I can let go and move past it faster...  Open to bigger better things, getting right back up on that horse.  (Even though I am scared of horses.)  

I apologize for this post being a little rambly... just some random thoughts inspired by this quote, brought together in one post.. 

Master Chief John Urgayle: Pain is your friend, your ally, 

it will tell you when you are seriously injured, 

it will keep you awake and angry, and 

remind you to finish the job and get the hell home. 

But you know the best thing about pain? ….. 

It lets you know you're not dead yet! 

 - GI Jane