Spice of Life | Embrace pain as the elixir of life
I took the bull by its horns to see where the pain would push me. With my focus on the dim light at the end of the tunnel, I took the physiotherapy regimen bravely, without wincing, moaning, or complaining
We humans fear pain and try to prevent injuries, whether it’s a scratch, bruise, deep wound, fracture, or burn. Yet, we all encounter pain, and every individual reacts to it in his/her own way. Once in pain, all wisdom, such as, ‘Pain is inevitable, suffering is optional’, evaporates into thin air.
Three months ago, as I was discharged from hospital after the bilateral knee-replacement surgery, the orthopaedic surgeon said, “Your recovery will depend on your capacity to endure pain.”
For once, these words unsettled me. Notwithstanding the YouTube videos, long discussions with the people who mattered, and understanding the pros and cons of the operation, I found myself in a nightmarish zone. My capacity to tolerate pain! I knew it was nil. A weak-hearted person, scared of even an injection, the very thought of the intensity of pain I was going to go through shook me to the core.
But I knew this time there was no escape from the impending pain and wondered how I was going to manage it.
The first few weeks of excruciating pain had taken a toll not only on the body but also on the mind. I couldn’t read, I couldn’t write, and my attention span came down to almost zero, leaving me physically drained, mentally frustrated, and crushed by restless days and sleepless nights.
But then I braced myself and took the bull by its horns to see where it would push me. With my focus on the dim light at the end of the tunnel when I would be my old active and adventurous self, I took the physiotherapy regimen bravely, without wincing, moaning, or complaining. Believe me, my resilience, patience, and endurance levels surprised me. Even the physiotherapist, a witty young girl, complimented my ability to bear pain, which helped in my fast recovery.
Today, though the healing process is on, and the pain persists, my perception has changed, and I have developed a close bond with it. I relate and understand pain more positively. We may try to suppress it with painkillers, but it stays, silently and diligently working, repairing, and refurbishing whatever is damaged inside. Even the ‘self-healing mechanism’ is but a passage through the pain. And once it has finished its work, it departs, leaving us renewed and rejuvenated for a healthier life, but not before giving some life lessons.
I have learned mine. Instead of displaying my weaker side, it has nourished my courage and made me realise my inner strength, strong willpower, and tolerance level, which had remained unknown to me till now.
I’ve learned to accept, befriend, and embrace pain as the elixir of life.
njkaur1953@gmail.com
(The writer is a Patiala-based retired associate professor in English)
