Lumps
Pain Just...Shows Up
In an October attempt at extending summer, I put on a bathing suit, only to notice certain — awkward lumps.
The same weekend, I learned of a friend’s cancer diagnosis — life-altering lumps.
Our government shut down, with law-makers choosing gamesmanship and bluster over negotiation, over care for the people they serve — useless lumps.
Pain and its visual or tactile reminders have a way of just showing up in our world, whether we want them or not. Small or significant, lumps in our throats, bumps in our hearts, burdens we shoulder become what we carry.
Whether it comes as a warning, a wake-up, or a wasteland - How do we handle pain?
It can lead to changes in habits, in policies, in regimes. But pain is not justice.
Pain isn’t evenly distributed, is often undeserved, is out of our control. As much as people try, we cannot shield ourselves from it.
But neither should we accept it as the way of the world.
Pain is not meant to be ignored.
If we have anything in wealthy society, we have the ability to assuage pain.
So…
I lament how often we don’t.
I lament those who promote pain as “discipline,” who believe self-righteously wielding sledgehammers and chainsaws to inflict hurt shows strength and not cruelty.
I lament those who deny pain - who preach stoicism, ignorance, self-focus rather than proffering care.
Untended pain only leads to more pain.
On our lumpy paths, strewn with obstacles, hurting is what we share most as humans.
So, when small bumps derail those with few resources, those who are no less human for being poor, meek, hungry, or thirsty, or mourning…
May we acknowledge, express, and address — pain deserves to be seen.
In times of good fortune when we find ourselves pain free, even for a moment…
May we recognize our luck and hold the stings and sores of others gently.
When pain shows up, and it will, may sharing resources enable us to let go of lament. Pain belongs to all of us, but healing does too.
