I was reminded of something a little while ago, after reading a post from my friend, Angie Farwell. Five of my favorite words in life are, Pain shared is pain lessened. Several years ago, when I was really hurting, I shared my pain with a compassionate man while standing outside a club in Gresham. When I was done he simply looked at me and said, Now I have half your pain. And though that certainly wasnt literally true, it did take enough of the power out of the pain to help me make it through that day without doing anything rash or without spiraling downward even farther through more self-inflicted misery. I have been the recipient of countless such compassionate gestures, sympathetic ears, warm smiles, hugs, words of wisdom and support over the years. And I have tried to pay it forward when I can. When I feel compassion for someone else, or when I am the recipient of compassion, it opens up something warm and peaceful within me, intangible, but nonetheless real. Some would call it God, others a Higher Power. It doesnt matter to me what it is called. I think of it as a portal to a higher level of consciousness, a state of being that is opposite to hate and fear and other forms of negativity which so permeate this human race of ours… So much needless suffering we inflict on ourselves and others. So when I put myself in the position to feel compassion for others, or to be the recipient of compassion, I allow myself the opportunity to experience this higher consciousness. So, if you are hurting, for whatever reason, please share your pain with someone. A closed mouth does not get fed. As a good friend of mine told me years ago, If you dont share your pain you deny someone like me the opportunity to reach out and help someone, which in turn, helps me. Thank you, Jake Thompson, for those words which Ive never forgotten. And thank you, Dave Barlow, for those kind words outside the ‘club’ that day. Peace out.
Posted on: Fri, 01 Aug 2014 23:12:07 +0000
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