Pain

Earlier today, I was talking with a friend on the phone about pain. She reminded me of how poorly we remember what it feels like to be in pain. We remember that something hurt, and even that it hurt a lot, and we are motivated to avoid whatever caused us the pain in the past, but we can't really recapture in our minds that feeling of being in pain once it is gone. Don't get me wrong, I definitely see this as a huge blessing. I'm glad that my memory is more poignant and detailed for the hours of great joy and pleasure than it is for the hours of intense pain. The problem is, it is also very hard to remember what it feels like to be free of pain while you are in the midst of it.