Non-Essential? (13)

Dear Friend,

Did you know there are parts of our body that we can live without? It's astonishing to me that an entire internal organ can be removed and yet we live.

I had my gall bladder removed almost a decade ago. One of my internal organs was cut out of my body and thrown away and yet here I am walking around without a care in the world. I have a scar to remind me that I had surgery but my brain has happily blocked the experience and moved on.  I feel like I should miss an internal organ. I mean it was part of my body for so many years shouldn't I notice it's gone? The truth is that my gall bladder caused me a lot of pain. I have a high pain thresh hold but my last gallstone attack was so severe I literally had the phone in my hand ready to call 911 when the pain finally began to pass. It was awful. For me, the elective surgery to have it removed was a no brainer. I never wanted to feel pain like that again.

Pain is a terrible burden. I tend to block pain. I don't really acknowledge it unless I have too. I push pain way down deep into the dark recesses of wherever and deal with it later. I don't recommend that course of action because it isn't healthy. To ignore pain is to allow it to fester and that always makes it worse.

The good news is there is always a balm to soothe pain. If it is physical there is usually a source of the pain that can be discovered, treated, and hopefully healed. If it is mental there are counselors, therapists and psychiatrists ready to help you work through the steps needed to ease your pain. If your pain is emotional there are ways to console a hurting heart. The trouble is understanding when you need help and then having the courage to ask for it.

People who suffer may not even realize that they need help. Most people with chronic pain complain of cognitive impairment, such as forgetfulness, difficulty with attention, and difficulty completing tasks. Sometimes it takes years for a person to even realize something is wrong. Oh yeah, and that Disney song from Frozen, Let it Go!, isn't very realistic. It's a catchy tune and fun to sing but you can't just snap your fingers and expect to suddenly set yourself free. There is a process. Deciding to let it go is just the first step. Next you have to acknowledge what to let go.

The best part of becoming healthy is finding all the nooks and crannies of yourself that need attention. You'll be surprised what you find hidden away. A couple of years ago I realized I had been depressed. I had been living in a tiny house in an increasingly terrible neighborhood and I was ignoring the fact that I had high functioning depression. There were several factors that allowed me to finally recognize my situation and take the steps I needed to take to become happier and healthier. One of those steps was to sell my house. When I sold my house I purged everything that was non-essential. I donated and threw away all kinds of clothes, dishes, furniture and decorations that I hadn't touched in years. There were items still packed in boxes from my last move! It felt GREAT! It was so liberating to be free of all the non-essential items that I once thought were essential to my existence. I can't even begin to tell you how good it felt to lighten my burden.

Friend, if you are struggling with pain I hope that you can find it's source and put it behind you. I hope it's a cause that can be dealt with and thrown away. Take a look in those dusty boxes you have packed away in your psyche. You know, all that baggage that keeps you from seeing your true purpose. Shine a light in that dark corner of yourself where you have everything piled up, friend. Don't worry, I'll hold the flashlight while you start purging. You got this!

XO, Robin

p.s. if you want to learn more about health and wellness please like my Facebook page Oh my Quad!