fly

the cbc aired a news piece about pain recently. a study has shown that pain is more bearable when it's controlled by the individual instead of someone else (such as a nurse or doctor). they've found that when people feel they have a choice about when they are administered pain medication they can actually manage the pain for longer lengths of time - compared to when they have to wait for someone else to make that decision. i find that very intriging. i'm currently undergoing a lengthy process of being diagnosed with a condition that causes excessive pain around the time of my period each month. since i've discovered this concept - that i can manage my discomfort by exercising my own empowerment - i've found i'm able to diminish my pain enough that it's not crippling. it's still there, but less so. i'm not saying i don't sometimes need painkillers, it just means that i can better determine when they are necessary instead of feeling desperate for relief. mind over matter. i can soothe myself.

i suppose that concept could work for many things: hunger, sleep, boredom, heartache. in a way... this shouldn't be a surprising discovery. people thrive when they are empowered.

 

with grace in your heart and flowers in your hair.