FYI

An interesting concept fell

out of a novel I was reading.

“Pain is just information.”

Yes, I thought, that is true.

Step on a shard of glass with a bare foot.

You know where the pain came from.

You know what to do.

bleed     curse      hop around     clean up

You learn to wear shoes.

But what if that shard were to pierce

your bare and tender heart?

you bleed – memories, regrets, future plans

you curse – the fates, the doctors, the innocent bystanders

you hop around – because sitting still is not an option and

it’s hard to focus when you are bleeding and cursing

you clean up – the details of a life now ended 

                          the mess you made while hopping around

However, pain is not “just” information

and wearing shoes will never

protect your heart.

Some would say you have

      learned not to love.

I would say you have learned

      how to survive.