Encountering Life Through the Eyes of Pain Mar 24 '04    Write an essay on this topic. Tweet Popular Products in Books Mildred D. Taylor - Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry: A Literature Unit From $8 Olivier Dunrea - Ollie From $7 The Bottom Line Life places difficulties in our lives. Dealing with each difficulty is part of our challenge. To live fully we must see through the difficulty and embrace those around us. Each of us has had an experience where we have been injured or in discomfort for one reason or another. It may have been a twisted ankle, a broken bone, and a fall that bruised some ribs, a hit on the head during a sporting event, a dental procedure, a Doctor performing a surgical procedure or any number of things. As you read the above list, did it trigger your memory? Did you recall the way the twisted ankle or broken leg affected your life? Do you remember wishing you could make it go away? The difficulty you had when you simply tried to move around? The reflex gasps for air when you got a stab of pain? Did you find part of you that just wanted to hide away and not move until everything was all right and you had no more pain? I have a very dear friend that has the distinction of being the longest living quadriplegic. My memory is not the best when it comes to numbers. I believe I am correct when I say he has been paralyzed from the neck down for 35 years. This is an amazing accomplishment because most quadriplegics die from complications with their kidneys, respiratory system and any other number of causes. The problem with this accomplishment is that he is in excruciating neurological pain. I cannot tell you the exact reasons for this horrible pain, but I have seen what it does to him. Imagine what it must be like to have lived 35 years, descending into more and more severe pain. He has this pain almost every hour of the day and night. He cannot move nor do anything that will give him relief. Prescription medications produce a small amount of relief for a very short period of time. He has seen as many Doctors and Specialists he possibly can and they are unable to offer him any solutions. When we see each other, he manages a smile and a warm greeting. He has concern for our mutual friend’s well being. He has an insatiable thirst for learning Try doing this next exercise. Put yourself back into a situation when you were injured or found yourself in severe pain for one reason or another. Now that you are remembering that time of severe pain, do you think you could encounter life with a smile and greet others warmly? Did you have the well being of others as one of your primary concerns when your body was being racked with pain? I thought I would share this story with those of you that read Epinions Writers Corner Non-Fiction. My friend has somehow managed to see through the pain and encounter life with real friendship and compassion for those he meets. This is a true story about one of my friends. A friend that I consider a real hero.

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