| I wish I had something insightful to say here, but I'm sure someone else has written about this topic in a more eloquent way. The day started out great visiting the Spanish Immersion Language Fair at Utah Valley University to watch some of the students in our schools perform traditional dances from various Spanish-speaking countries. It was beautiful! And I loved the fact that the children were celebrating and embracing the cultures and traditions of those countries. By late afternoon, however, a sinus headache settled in and none of my usual remedies seemed to alleviate it. Though I was not in horrible pain nor extremely grouchy, I did notice that I did not feel as energetic and "thriving" as usual. This caused me to think about the effect of pain on our overall happiness and to reflect on the marvelous examples I know who live daily with terrible pain and yet somehow seem to manage smiles and kindness towards others. Today I want to focus on them and the inspiration they share with me. | |
I have a friend with MS who I know is in terrible pain each day, but whenever I see her she deflects questions about her condition and asks me how I'm doing. I know she has days of discouragement and heartache, but when I see her she flashes her beautiful smile and focuses on the good. Another friend of ours has fibromyalgia and doesn't let his pain keep him from thoroughly enjoying his hobby of photography. His pictures capture the vitality and emotion of the sports events he shoots. I was always grateful when he happened to be shooting an event in which my children participated. I know of another friend who is a nurse with Parkinsons who continues with such a positive smile and calm demeanor about her. She makes a difference in the lives of the children she works with every day. All of these friends, and others throughout the world, are great examples to me of continuing on through pain. I know the popular book "Fault in Our Stars" talked about the fact that "Pain demands to be felt" and I don't pretend to comprehend the kind of pain they are talking about. All I knew was that my respect for those experiencing that kind of demanding pain who continue on with life grew just a little bit more in reflecting on their examples and lives.
Pondering the role of pain in our lives also causes me to reflect on the greatest example of all, even Jesus Christ. The scriptures say that he bore our sorrows and grief. He experienced pain that we cannot comprehend in Gethsemane that an angel was sent to comfort Him. He suffered excruciating pain on the cross at Calvary and all of it He endured with such dignity and perfect love. One of my favorite quotes is from Elder Henry B. Eyring, "“It will comfort us when we must wait in distress for the Savior’s promised relief that He knows, from experience, how to heal and help us. … And faith in that power will give us patience as we pray and work and wait for help. He could have known how to succor us simply by revelation, but He chose to learn by His own personal experience.” (May 2009). It's incredibly comforting to know that Jesus knows what we are going through. Laurent often sings the song "Nobody knows the trouble I've seen. Nobody knows but Jesus." We can indeed feel peace at knowing that He knows how to comfort us. If you would like to read a beautiful talk on the subject, read, "The Atonement Covers All Pain" by Kent F. Richards. We are reminded that Christ is the true Balm in Gilead, to heal our souls in whatever kind of pain we experience. Christ is the way to show us how to thrive through pain.
Pondering the role of pain in our lives also causes me to reflect on the greatest example of all, even Jesus Christ. The scriptures say that he bore our sorrows and grief. He experienced pain that we cannot comprehend in Gethsemane that an angel was sent to comfort Him. He suffered excruciating pain on the cross at Calvary and all of it He endured with such dignity and perfect love. One of my favorite quotes is from Elder Henry B. Eyring, "“It will comfort us when we must wait in distress for the Savior’s promised relief that He knows, from experience, how to heal and help us. … And faith in that power will give us patience as we pray and work and wait for help. He could have known how to succor us simply by revelation, but He chose to learn by His own personal experience.” (May 2009). It's incredibly comforting to know that Jesus knows what we are going through. Laurent often sings the song "Nobody knows the trouble I've seen. Nobody knows but Jesus." We can indeed feel peace at knowing that He knows how to comfort us. If you would like to read a beautiful talk on the subject, read, "The Atonement Covers All Pain" by Kent F. Richards. We are reminded that Christ is the true Balm in Gilead, to heal our souls in whatever kind of pain we experience. Christ is the way to show us how to thrive through pain.