Experiencing Pain Essay example -- Health, Philosophy, Personal Experi

Most would agree that pain is an emotion we want to avoid; however, experiencing pain has the potential for insight, knowledge, and a new understanding of life that may not have been in realization. Through experiencing or living with pain, a proper understanding of value can perhaps be brought to things that may not have been valued in a pain free life. Because of pain, the true meaning of life, what it is like to live, and the value of oneself and others is to be within one’s control. Pain is a destructive force, yet it can strengthen the mind and the spirit. As stated in Virginia Woolf’s essay on Being Ill, the true beauty of the people and the real beauty of the earth can be seen through the eyes of those who are in pain. Also according to Woolf, pain can lead to spiritual divinity. From my understanding, the power of prayer to some people is not in belief until pain has overtaken the body of oneself or of a loved one. Pain seems to open the eyes of those who have not correctly lived their lives. Small things in life are regularly overlooked due to the busy and determined career oriented lifestyles. The joys of life come through the detail of the small gestures given or received. The golden rule of â€Å"treat others the way you want to be treated,† is important for people who want to lead a happy life. Until he was deathly ill, Ivan Ilyich, the main character in The Death of Ivan Ilyich, never appreciated the small things in life. His focus was narrowed to one topic. â€Å"Ivan made work the center gravity of his life† (50). Before anything else, including his marriage, Ivan’s work and analyzing way of living was of first priority. Neither Ivan nor his friends valued one another. Ivan’s family and friends treated Ivan ... ...ckily, she survived and my passenger and I survived with minor injuries. Not a day goes by where I do not think about what happened, but I know it happened for a reason. Getting through this painful situation made me a stronger willed person. Taking things for granted is what I do not do. I truly value my life and my family’s lives. A life can be taken away at any second. Giving thanks for the joy and love in life is something that needs to be done daily. Material items are replaceable, but what is irreplaceable is a human being. Memories made will last a lifetime, but the physical presence of a loved one will be gone. The best advice is to live life to the fullest and value the sentimental belongings, especially family and friends. Pain is not an ease, but it helps ease the minds of those who are most important with respect and insight to value.