Pain & Joy

Pain - is an unpleasant sensory and emotional experience associated with actual or potential tissue damage or described in terms of such damage. Joy - also refers to happiness - is a mental state of well-being characterized by positive emotions ranging from contentment to intense joy. Today I learned about how we might not know joy unless we know pain. I love the definition I found on pain. It doesn't describe your body being literally pinched between an engine and your body having over 7 broken bones and having to wait for help, not knowing what was going to happen. I received a CD of my accident photos. I can't say I was excited to see them. But I felt that it would be good for my healing process. I tried to open it up on my computer, it wouldn't let me. I told myself that as I looked at these pictures, I would remind myself that I am a survivor and that I made it through. Two of my dear friends are facing pain. Some of the pain I relate to very well. I have been there with drains taking my body fluids away from my burns in the ICU. Extreme pain that I watched the clock tick by ...in order to have more pain medicine, in hopes to take the edge off. I had extreme heart ache pain when I went to the ER 7 times not knowing if we would keep Livi with us long enough for her to survive. I know the pain of having your most long-waited dream, become a long- drawn out nightmare. To my two friends. There is not enough medicine to ease your heartache, fear or pain. Life is full of pain. However there is also joy. Joy comes in the little things. Treasure and soak in the love you feel. Breathe each moment and take it in to remember the heartbeat and the life you give and the life you have. I think for me my Joy has been in empathy. Before my accident I tried to feel how others were feeling. Now I know - in heart-wrenching emotion how certain experiences take your breath away. Joy - comes to me in knowing that I am there for them. I will do anything. I wish I could take their pain away, but I think I would rob them from the joy - that they will have in their own due time. Then their joy - will be shared in them being there for someone else. Here is to my friends M&L - I pray for you. I am here for you. Thank you for sharing in my pain. May we all fight the pain and live to discovery the joy in all our lives.