My husband and I have been watching, in my case, and re-watching, in his case, the first season of Heroes. In that show there is a character, Claire – the cheerleader – who has the ability to heal, or regenerate, from any injury. She is fated to die early in the season and it is the job of the other characters to prevent that. SPOILER ALERT – if you haven’t watched but at some point intend to, do not read this next sentence – they do succeed and go on to save the world or, at least, half of New York.
At some point toward the end of our watching season one, my husband remarked that Claire must not feel any pain. I understand how he would think that. Once Claire discovers her ability she then proceeds to test it to the max. She throws herself off buildings, disregards warnings on household appliances and enters a fire, all to see what she can recover from. She certainly gives the impression of not feeling any pain. After all who would purposely throw themselves off a building if they knew it would hurt? My comment to him was: maybe she feels pain but knows that it won’t last or that she will quickly recover from it, so it really doesn’t become a factor for her. It’s just a minor inconvenience along the road to where she wants to go. That road will lead her to the person she truly is and where she belongs.
That got me to thinking- am I afraid of pain or am I afraid of what the pain represents? After all, I have done things I know will hurt but I also knew that it would be brief and I would be better off afterwards: multiple shots as a kid come to mind or giving up coffee and enduring the withdrawal headaches (OK, maybe not so brief on those). We have all done things along that line. After it’s all over we think, “That wasn’t so bad.” Maybe it was awful but, in the end, we’re still better for it. My lasik surgery on my eyes was a horrible experience for me, one I do not want to repeat, but it changed my life dramatically for the better.
So think about your fear of pain. Perhaps it’s not a fear but more of an avoidance. Think if it’s the pain you are avoiding or what the pain represents. You don’t want to speak in front of a room full of people because you may make a fool of yourself. Is the pain of embarrassment really going to be that bad? Maybe you won’t even screw up at all. However, the idea of the possible pain is greater than the actual pain. Throw yourself off the building, the pain will be brief and you will regenerate. There are many circumstances and events in our lives that we build up, make into these great big things, and therefore push to the bottom of our awareness. We don’t look at them, don’t acknowledge them. We choose to instead busy our minds and schedule with others things instead. What about those events are we avoiding? Is it the pain of being uncomfortable or maybe a physical pain? Have we built the pain up in our minds to this great big thing when in actuality it will be brief? Is it the pain or what the pain represents that is being avoided? Ask yourself that the next time you find yourself avoiding something. Take a look at what you are really avoiding. Then jump.
In love and light
Celina
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