MONDAY MUSINGS SEASON 2 - EPISODE 242
I want to celebrate pain
1st January 2024
I want to celebrate 2023 for many reasons including that of a bypass surgery I had to undergo towards the fag end of 2023. Don’t worry, I have not gone nuts.
I want to celebrate the pain and this new awakening came when I got the first conscience after the surgery in an ICU. Sharing my learnings as a poem (poem penned by my wife Bhooma VG based on my narration)
Lying on my back and staring at a space
That knows neither night nor day
Rain or shine, may exist, sun or breeze
But these walls permit, none of these.
Walls that echo the constant hum
Of meters and monitors, and streaking green lines.
Unspoken words and purposeful strides
A roomscape of charts, tubes and pipes.
In this steel and sterile planet, I learn
I may have just escaped my turn.
This is no morbid deathbed confession
Regret, apology or a dying declaration.
Rather, of life rediscovered, a celebration.
A hope, some cheer and a revelation
A new perception, and my way ahead.
Of my path rerouted, that I have to tread.
The aches and pains, the lessons they delivered
Each of them an affirmation that I still lived.
Each a new guide, to the pain of my brethren,
Lighting in me, a new undiscovered strength.
With the surgeon’s knife as my own Chrysalis,
I look forward to this new gift of a second phase.
Every little progress, akin to a growing child’s,
The joy in small actions, I had taken for granted.
That just living, could be a goal by itself
Sure reorders a few of one’s past interests.
Life’s values now are no more the same
Gratefulness preceding success and fame.
Finding unique value in every known person,`
No more judged in the binary of a foe or friend.
Endurance over speed, tempered by patience.
The fullness more visible in the half-filled glass
Looking backwards to seek the roots
Sifting fronds to align new shoots
Soaring skywards towards a new dawn
Revelling in the new lease of life I am granted.
#PainIsVital
Pain is vital. Instead of cursing that it happened over time, I begin to celebrate and be grateful for it. Because although that pain still hurts and I wish it never happened, it pushed me to explore this whole new side of me that I would never have.
I want to celebrate the pain I survived because that is the course correction I had to go through; course correction is essential.
I want to celebrate the pain because that gave me life which I can live with even more focused and determined. Pain is vital at times.
For a caterpillar, metamorphosing into a butterfly is a painful process. Yet, it has no choice, unless it fails to spin a cocoon, in which case, it remains a caterpillar until death. I would not remain a caterpillar until death and the pain ensured that I would not need to.
A caterpillar doesn’t get a second chance to pupate. But we humans do. We get chances over and over again to try, fail, learn, and try again. I got one more chance and the number does not matter. I will keep trying, learning and building.
#FearOfPain
Stop letting the fear of pain control your life. Pain sucks. But it also leads to growth. Pain also makes you a better version of yourself. When the larva endures pain, it transforms into a beautiful butterfly. When your muscles feel pained after a workout, they build strength.
It was very painful to even move your hands and legs after the surgery. But I must go through the exercise regime suggested by the physicians for the muscles and bones to redevelop though that was very painful initially. Don’t allow the fear of pain control your life. You must go through pain.
“If you’re evenly split on a difficult decision, take the path more painful in the short term.” — Naval Ravikant
Lord Krishna included multiple slokas on tolerating pain and this sloka 2.14 is the best.
मात्रास्पर्शास्तु कौन्तेय शीतोष्णसुखदु:खदा: |
आगमापायिनोऽनित्यास्तांस्तितिक्षस्व भारत || Bhagavad Gita 2.14||
Translation - O son of Kunti, the contact between the senses and the sense objects gives rise to fleeting perceptions of happiness and distress. These are non-permanent, and are very much part of our life like winter and summer seasons. O descendent of Bharat, one must learn to tolerate them without being disturbed.
Budhists say an interesting story on this known as #TaleOfTwoArrows. We shall enjoy the budhist’s story of two arrows in the next episode of MONDAY MUSINGS.
BID GOODBYE TO 2023 WITH SATISFACTION AND WELCOME 2024 WITH BIG SMILE & EXCITEMENT.
________________________________________________________________________________________ Conceived, compiled and posted by Jaganathan (www.authorjaganathan.com) as a newsletter MONDAY MUSINGS in LinkedIn as well as a YouTube channel