Discomfort

THURS., DEC. 14, 1989, 5:55 AM
FARM, STUDY

You would prefer a Teaching on some theological or other far-reaching theme that could be communicated, with humble pride, to others. Instead I offer you this mundane, practical application of what could be an important revelation. As you sit and write you are in the midst of a condition of discomfort, as you were yesterday. There is no apparent reason for this flow of liquid from some openings in your face. Thus, there is no logical prevention or cure. You must bare the discomfort and function as well as possible.

Few discomforts have been yours to experience in this earth life. Some people tell of pain and discomfort that is almost consuming. You can be sympathetic, but not empathetic. This has not been a personal “cross for you to bear”… your thorn in the flesh. So, this discomfort is a fairly unique experience.

Is this just a freak happening, or is this just the beginning of a chronic condition of discomfort? Consider how your life would change and would be if this were a continuing condition. It would be both uncomfortable and embarrassing. The professor of health offers daily evidence of ill-health. It would be a stumbling block to effective teaching. Could you make the adaptation to such an imperfect state? It would be a challenge, now, wouldn’t it?!

Or suppose this to be a portent of further breakdowns in your good health. This condition abates, but other pains and disabilities follow and increase. Consider two different ways of dealing with such a future. Your strongest tendency would be to keep any discomforts and disabilities as secret as possible, maintaining the façade of perfect health. You would try to act as normally healthy as possible, and some would clearly not be aware of these departures. On the other hand, some would notice the abnormalities, would be distracted by them, and would wonder why they were not acknowledged.

This leads to the other approach. You could admit your discomfort or disability, describe it succinctly, apologize briefly for it and then get on with your life functioning. You would dwell on the condition nor dramatize it excessively. You would simply describe it as a weakness, allowing others, with some variety of weaknesses, to identify. The difficulty with this approach is that you tend to lose identification with those who do not have or will not acknowledge some discomfort or disability.

Some time ago I encouraged you to take this approach with classes in regard to your hearing loss. You seemed willing to do this, and you made one attempt, but then did not follow through. This is a disability that is both evident and not evident to you. You realize some of what you are not hearing, but also there are some words and sounds you are not hearing of which you are not aware – because you don’t hear them. Admit this deterioration, and allow students and others to adapt to it, realistically.

The condition you now are experiencing is disconcerting. When your body is reacting as it is now you cannot hide the abnormality. The challenge is to accept the difficulty, share it briefly and honestly with others, and then get on with life. It must not distract you from the opportunities of life. It may make some less possible, but that simply opens the way for others to be more desirable. The discomfort need not bother your writing, even as it may hinder verbal communication. You are a good adapter. Prove it, to Me and to yourself.

Do not feel sorry for yourself. (Oh, a bit is inevitable for this is neither a pleasant nor a familiar experience). Acknowledge that your life has been one of rather abundant health and full functioning. Accept that there is a time for comfort and a time for discomfort. Yet I do not want you to become a chronic complainer. The more fully you function the more your body will be able to compensate for this breakdown. You realize this from past experience. Be not troubled that “it doesn’t work every time.”

Resist medication unless the condition becomes much worse. Let your body deal with its malfunction in as natural state as possible. Despite all that medicine and pharmacology have developed, the body’s capacities are greater…even bodies of the age of yours.