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MONDAY THOUGHT 10/27/08

Life Can Hurt … A Lot
 
My Mother used to say, “If you get brief glimpses of joy in this life of pain and suffering, count your blessings.”  Well, I don’t know even today if Mom was exaggerating, but I do know that she did find great joy amid great sorrow, and maybe that was her point. 
 
Another thing I do know is that way too many people these days self-medicate to cope with the pain of life, whether looking for that perfect love that – this time, finally – will  make life a blissful fairy tale, or making a visit to Dr. Feelgood’s Emporium of Mind-Dulling Delights.  Well, for all the alcoholics and drug addicts and food-aholics and magic pill seekers out there, here’s the good news:  Life is SUPPOSED to hurt now and then … even hurt a lot.  Get that one straight and life actually gets easier. 
 
My point?  Those who dedicate their lives to looking for comfort, ease and relief waste their time in false hopes.  On the other hand, those who gird their loins, strap on a breastplate and accept pain as a normal part of life, these are the ones who find joy amid the sorrow.  It takes a clear head and a focused eye to get through the many and to-be-expected challenges of life.  Face them.  Tackle them.  And, yes, even enjoy them.  — jri
 
“We have been told that for every pain,
there is a pill we could take to make the
hurting stop.  In essence, we have been
promised a pain-free life.  When it does
not work out that way, our inability to handle
any strong emotion, especially pain, leaves
us feeling confused and helpless.”
        –    Harold Kushner