Читать книгу Above and Beyond - J.S. Dorian - Страница 7

“We, by our suff’rings, learn to prize our bliss.”

JOHN DRYDEN

As we used to know physical pain, it was something that could always be fixed, not unlike a faulty toaster. We had a rude awakening when chronic pain entered our world and threatened to overpower us.

We discovered that doctors can’t always determine the cause of pain. Even when technology such as myelograms and CAT scans makes it possible to pinpoint the source and cause of pain, technology can’t always relieve pain entirely. So it seemed at first that this lingering pain would wring every bit of joy from our lives.

It has since become clear that there are volumes to learn about pain, and that there is much we can do to understand it, manage it, and limit its influence. One of the most heartening lessons is this: Pain is not simply a physical problem that can be isolated and repaired like a burned-out bulb on a string of Christmas lights. Rather, pain is truly a systems problem involving mind, emotions, attitude, and inner spirit. This means that we need not suffer passively and endlessly; that we can regain control; and that we can marshal our inner resources to achieve transcendence.

THOUGHT FOR TODAY

My goal is not to fix pain but to manage and overcome it.