Pain

I have learnt 

Over the years

That pain

Although painful

Is full of wisdom too.

Pain is a teacher

She’s hard and persistent

Riding you to your edge

Have you had enough? She asks

As your inner strength deepens in resolve.

Not necessarily invited in

But if you resist her

Try to ignore or mask her presence

She only goes deeper

And one day you gotta pay.

But through this process

She also humbles you

Making you really real

And offers you the gift of surrender

To the right here the right now.

She makes you question

What’s important?

Waking you up shaking you up

Forcing you to change to escape her grasp

While holding you accountable every day.

And she introduces you

To mystics and healers

Wheelers and dealers

Of light and love

People who become dear friends

As you ultimately get introduced to your very own Self.

Sometimes it’s a long visit of our dear friend pain

Usually unwelcome

But once sitting at the dinner table

Night after night conversation after conversation

You may realise why she has come.

Pain is inevitable

We are human beings

In bodies of flesh and bone.

Suffering on the other hand

Is optional.

Each day I ask her to keep showing me more

Deeper and deeper the enquiry goes

Till the full spectrum is revealed

The history apparent

The present unmasked.

And one day

Hopefully one day

She will decide her time has come to leave

And we will part

With a sigh of deep release

Tears of relief

And a bow of gratitude

As Grace walks through the door.