5/22/13
Okay, so this may be a weird thing to be grateful for, however, I am grateful nonetheless. I am grateful for pain. Say what?!
You read correctly. I am grateful for pain. Let me tell you a somewhat long story:
As a child I was plagued with headaches. I remember being put to bed with them. During the summer, my momma would ask me to wear a hat, trying to keep the heat off my head, I guess. I remember taking medicine for headaches. I recall telling my elementary school teachers that I had a headache. It was the pits.
As I aged, I still had terrible headaches. When the hormones started shifting during puberty, the headaches got worse. The family doctor I saw remarked that I was immature and couldn't handle the stress of high school and then college. What a fool!
During my senior year in college, I finally saw a specialist who diagnosed me with something I had never heard before: fibromyalgia. What the what?!
You may be familiar with this condition. If you are not, you can check out this site to learn more:
http://www.fibrocenter.com
It was a shocker. My new doctor said I was quite young to be diagnosed with it but he was certain that was a correct diagnosis. As he did a physical exam, he walked to a headache/pain chart and pointed to EIGHT different headaches that he suspected I constantly had. Holy cow. He got my attention then.
So now it is 15 plus years later and I want to testify what a blessing pain has been to me. Now for some of you naysayers, you may not be able to fully accept what you are about to read. My comment for you is this-GET OVER IT. Since there is no other way to say it, I just had to be blunt.
In David Letterman fashion, here are the top ten reasons pain has been a blessing:
10. I have learned not to sweat the small stuff.
9. The kindness of others does not go unnoticed, especially on a painful day.
8. My perspective of others is greatly influenced for the better.
7. I have a great excuse for taking a LOOOOOOOONG hot shower daily.
6. I know what I am truly made of.
5. Bad days make good days even better.
4. I don't take exercising for granted.
3. I know that "fake it until you make it" really has some truth behind it.
2. Knowing that my circumstance isn't the fault of others helps me deal with everyday with grace.
1. Being in pain has drawn me closer to God.
You know, it is all about the perspective. If you don't agree, maybe you need a new one.
Today, pain is good.
No comments:
Post a Comment