Pain!

Pain!

Pain is my closest companion. It has been my constantly with me for all of my long life. I can’t imagine life without it, even if I try as hard as I can. People believe that after death there is another form of existence, in the kingdom of God, and there- will be no pain. I can’t imagine how I could exist without pain or the fear of pain. Would I be able to enjoy existence without pain? What will be there if there is no pain? Enjoyment is the product of contrast.

I had my first surgery when I was a one-year-old. I can’t remember it but later I had the same surgery again so I know what it is like. A lot of pain. As far as I can remember there was always a pain. Accidents, health issues, toothaches, and punishment. In my childhood teaching was done with the rod and I remember it clearly. The memory of being subjected to corporal punishment is more vivid in my mind than all else. I will spare you the gory details but try to imagine the worst and then double it.

Now I live with chronic pain, the results of a surgery that didn’t work out as expected (I took a chance) and can’t be corrected. I believe that I am addicted to my subscribed treatments and I fear life without it. I know others in that predicament and I wonder. Could the pain be around for nonphysical reasons? I have investigated a phenomenon called the placebo effect and it works both positively and negatively.

Sir Winston Churchill wrote in his book Young Winston about him and his classmates being caned for not behaving in school. It was one of the worst experiences that the old statesman could remember. In some countries even today the court can sentence people to lashes, whippings, and canings. It was not long ago that in Great Britain they had the “rule of thumb.” A husband could not legally punish his wife by beating her with a rod thicker than his thumb. Now we evolved and are horrified when we hear about torture.

During the cold war, we used to hear about the Communist countries using torture to punish or extract information. Many stories about Nazi Germany discussed scenes of torture and the West was portrayed as civilized since here we didn’t use torture. The theory was that you can make a human confess to anything by administrating pain, which is true. This changed in the US under President Bush’s administration and was endorsed by presidential candidate Trump saying that he will use a lot more than waterboarding. What we deemed to be civilized has taken a step back.

We are all aware of the culture of the Roman Empire thanks to our religious beliefs. People went beyond all limits in an orgy which included crucifixions and being entertained by watching innocent Christian families fed to hungry lions and cheering their pain. The pain of others became the joy of some. Sadism and masochism dominated a social order.

It is common knowledge that the internet profits tremendously from porn. A big portion of porn is depicting men physically abusing women and often inflicting pain. A fair amount of literature has been devoted to supposedly consensual erotic torturing of women. There is a very famous Talk Show Host on trial who apparently caused pain to women for his sexual pleasure.

Without pain, humans and other creatures don’t survive long. It is needed as a warning system but it's not welcomed since it reminds us about death. We are a society which makes futile efforts to avoid death yet never wins the fight. As far as I know, most people die in hospitals while professionals try to save their lives.

My experience and longtime interest indicate that pain often is connected to psychological reasons. I maintain that the physical follows the non-material and not the other way around. It is hard to explain but easy to investigate and prove. A human has unresolved issues in life and soon develops a sickness and pain. Let me demonstrate.

I was immobilized in a hospital bed next to a wonderful elderly lady who had a history of severe pain and numerous hospitalizations. She was crying so I gently inquired. I have a little house she told me and a little pension that keeps me. She makes native artwork out of beads. My kids and grandkids come to visit me often she said and I love them, but they stay long and mess all my things up and I can’t fix it. The only time it doesn’t happen is when I am sick or in the hospital. She had very real health issues but the reason for the illness could be traced to her environment.

I think that many of our illnesses and pains are a response to some situations which we can’t deal with. Our medical system is designed to deal with the symptoms not the causes of the symptoms.

Personally, I only know life with pain and find it hard to believe that some people live without it. I abhor those who inflict pain as punishment, as a way to force others to do things, or as a way to receive sexual gratification. In my reality, the worst people are those who subject many others to pain, sickness or painful poverty, for self-gain. Sickness and pain are often the consequence of other problems and I recommend early intervention by exercising a “love your neighbor as yourself” attitude throughout life. We had the cure which is love and caring for two thousand years but failed to use it. It’s a good time to reevaluate.

Please note: I welcome comments, arguments, and additional information privately and publicly.

Here is a link to my blog: https://thesimpleravenspost.blogspot.ca/  Feel free to check other articles and comment.