My Friend Pain

by Kay Heitsch

I hadn't thought about pain as being my friend until I developed a foot problem. If I hadn't had pain I wouldn't have known that what I was doing was hurting me.

I love to go barefoot. I've been doing it all my life. However, this was not a good thing for me to be doing anymore. I tore something in the bottom of my heel. It hurt! I found several solutions to help with the healing. For one...if I wear shoes I feel less pain. However, pain reminds me to put my shoes on when I forget.

Pain can teach a person a lot of things. It can teach us what not to do. It can teach us to be more compassionate to others. It can teach us to be thankful when the pain subsides. The list goes on and on.

I don't like to be in pain anymore than anyone else. But I'm thankful that by having pain I've been helped to avoid things that could have really done some serious damage.

So today I'll do what I can to help myself heal. Plus, I'll see pain as my friend, to keep me keepin' on.