"Much like the night, no matter how dark and cold it gets, the sun is bound to rise again"

If there’s one theme that unites all patients seeking physical therapy together, it is pain. As you can likely guess, the escape from and resolution of pain is usually what drives people to seek help or therapy in the first place. Furthermore, many end up in a desperate position due to previous failed attempts to address the pain. For many there seems to be no escape from its icy grip. 

Of all the human emotions and feelings that exist, we can all agree that pain is one of the most uncomfortable and unpleasant to be stuck with. Despite that reality, I believe there is more to be understood about pain: namely, its necessity. In nature, life without pain is impossible. It has been found that animals and humans alike that lack the ability to perceive pain have extremely short lifespans. Bad things tend to happen without the utility of pain to teach an individual to avoid dangerous situations and seek safety. When burned by a hot stove it’s rare for a child to reach out and repeat the mistake! The question then becomes, how could something as useful as pain also be so detestable? Why do we spend a great amount of effort to avoid it and ensure we never feel it again? We can better answer these questions only if we can understand pain at a deeper level based on its true nature.

People will sometimes label themselves as a "morning person" or a "night owl". Personally, I love waking up early and going out to feel the warmth of the rising sun. To bask in its energy is to increase my own. But as much as I love this feeling and wish it could last 24 hours a day, I understand that without the reprieve of night everything on earth would soon be burnt to a crisp by the sun’s incredible power. The darkness of night and the cold winter months caused by the distance from the sun are essential to balance in nature. No matter how much I may dislike the frigid darkness it is equally essential to the cycle. Pain, as an emotion or feeling, is much the same. There is no internal balance without it.

Pain is a strict but virtuous mentor that guides us safely through life. It highlights a need for change. It appears in places we have been perhaps ignoring. It is an invitation to take action and motivates us to answer the call. Much like the night, no matter how dark and cold it gets, the sun is bound to rise again. So when it seems darker than ever, with time I hope you may too accept this discomfort as essential to your journey and to trust that the sun will rise again. 

"Much like the night, no matter how dark and cold it gets, the sun is bound to rise again"

If there’s one theme that unites all patients seeking physical therapy together, it is pain. As you can likely guess, the escape from and resolution of pain is usually what drives people to seek help or therapy in the first place. Furthermore, many end up in a desperate position due to previous failed attempts to address the pain. For many there seems to be no escape from its icy grip. 

Of all the human emotions and feelings that exist, we can all agree that pain is one of the most uncomfortable and unpleasant to be stuck with. Despite that reality, I believe there is more to be understood about pain: namely, its necessity. In nature, life without pain is impossible. It has been found that animals and humans alike that lack the ability to perceive pain have extremely short lifespans. Bad things tend to happen without the utility of pain to teach an individual to avoid dangerous situations and seek safety. When burned by a hot stove it’s rare for a child to reach out and repeat the mistake! The question then becomes, how could something as useful as pain also be so detestable? Why do we spend a great amount of effort to avoid it and ensure we never feel it again? We can better answer these questions only if we can understand pain at a deeper level based on its true nature.

People will sometimes label themselves as a "morning person" or a "night owl". Personally, I love waking up early and going out to feel the warmth of the rising sun. To bask in its energy is to increase my own. But as much as I love this feeling and wish it could last 24 hours a day, I understand that without the reprieve of night everything on earth would soon be burnt to a crisp by the sun’s incredible power. The darkness of night and the cold winter months caused by the distance from the sun are essential to balance in nature. No matter how much I may dislike the frigid darkness it is equally essential to the cycle. Pain, as an emotion or feeling, is much the same. There is no internal balance without it.

Pain is a strict but virtuous mentor that guides us safely through life. It highlights a need for change. It appears in places we have been perhaps ignoring. It is an invitation to take action and motivates us to answer the call. Much like the night, no matter how dark and cold it gets, the sun is bound to rise again. So when it seems darker than ever, with time I hope you may too accept this discomfort as essential to your journey and to trust that the sun will rise again.