No pain, no ... what?!

I have been enduring a little pain this week - as a tooth I really never gave much thought to began to make its presence felt. By mid-week, I was popping pain killers (and feeling a whole lot more sympathetic towards people who endure constant pain...) Yesterday my dentist gave me antibiotics, which should tide me over till I have a root canal done in a few weeks...

All this to say, that I have a new appreciation for being pain-free!

I have never really liked the expression "No pain, no gain" - not because it isn't true that sometimes we have to work through difficult (perhaps even painful) times to achieve a goal - but because many young athletes abuse their bodies in the name of gain. We see it again and again in professional sports.

A number of years ago, my then-teenage son injured his toe playing soccer, but - following this mantra (No pain, no gain) refused to heed the pain - and ended up in the hospital with endocarditis, a potentially fatal heart infection... After surgery, months of antibiotics and numerous heart tests, he was - thankfully - completely healthy again. But I will never view a small cut or injury as "insignificant" again. Once infected, it can be life-threatening.

And I will never forget my son's reply to me, when I had suggested he stop playing until the toe had completely healed. It was: No pain, no gain...

The body is not made for pain... In fact, pain is a little alarm that goes off to remind us to pay attention to what we are doing, and perhaps change our ways...

So right now, I'm sitting here - basking in the joy of feeling NOTHING! Or at least, no pain... If pain should rear its ugly head again today, I will check the clock, to see if it is time to take another pain killer - and curl up in a ball until the pain goes away.

Because the best thing about pain is not the gain, but the joy and appreciation of again being pain-free again!