Thursday, April 30, 2009

Pathway Of Pain


(or The Way To God)

If my days were untroubled and my heart always light,

Would I seek that fair land where there is no night?

If I never grew weary with the weight of my load,

Would I search for God’s Peace at the end of the road?

If I never knew sickness and never felt pain,

Would I reach for a hand to help and sustain?

If I walked not with sorrow and lived without loss,

Would my soul seek sweet solace at the foot of the cross?

If all I desired was mine day by day,

Would I kneel before God and earnestly pray?

If God sent no “winter” to freeze me with fear,

Would I yearn for the warmth of “spring” every year?

I ask myself this and the answer is plain -

If my life were all pleasure and I never knew pain

I’d seek God less often and need Him much less,

For God's sought more often in times of distress.

And no one knows God or sees Him as plain

As those who have met Him on “The Pathway of Pain.”

by Helen Steiner Rice.

6 comments:

Snowbrush said...

Is this a true statement of your belief? I won't argue with you if it is. I'm just surprised as I don't remember you expressing such religious fervor, much less such Christian fervor.

His kajirah said...

Morning Snow

Yes I believe so. It's hard to admit I'm at a cross road of needing to understand why pain exists. Why it exists beyond a bump of the hand, or a stubbing of a toe, why chronic pain exists at all. Why I'll never get better

I teeter totter at the edge of the no no zone (what I call that place where we shouldn't go, suicidal ideations, and at times needing it to stop at whatever cost. But I'm alive and I need to stay that way.
From time to time I still get those thoughts. It's the depression that comes secondary to pain.

I'm spiritual and religious deep deep down inside me. I've been baptized, I'm a non church goer. Maybe 5 times in 15 years. The last time was Easter Sunday about 5 years ago. I needed to feel something holy. I was seeking answers. Answers I'm never going to get.

I do believe God is sought more often in times of distress.

I believe even the atheist who spent his/her life not believing in God... would be praying for God if a gun was held to his head.

I think at that moment all there is in thought and voice is oh god, please God... begging to God to save them. It may not come to them in everyday life, but when faced with death and total fear... it will most certainly change at minimum for that time being.

I don't so much consider it religious or Christian fervor, more so heart and soul, but it very well may be.

I tend to believe that ugly hurting is a very painful reminder that we are alive.

Where ever it comes from

Warm wishes,
~cali

P.S. You haven't offended me with your question and I always love to discuss. ~smiles

Anonymous said...

Greetings caliente,

That is beautiful. So profound and so true. I had a very religious upbringing and know many times during my life, in pain and distress that I have went back to those beliefs only to stick with them after realizing that life was given to us for a reason, even if we do always know why.

Thank you honey for sharing that poem and your thoughts.

Always well wishes,

*hugs*

laurie

His kajirah said...

Thank you Laurie

And even if one day it turns out we never learn why... we had nothing to lose by believing and having faith and hope after all ~smiles


Sending a hug your way,
~caliente

Louve said...

That was beautiful and heartfelt, twinkle. My husband has a strong spiritual relationship with God and I showed it to him> He liked it. He also wants me to show you something a friend of his gave him, but he has to find it, and I have to type it up lol.

Faith is a funny thing, and then maybe its not. It works for the people who have it, and doesn't for the people who don't.

His kajirah said...

Oh Louve

I can't wait for what your husband wants me to see. And for it to be found and typed. I have a feeling it's going to be spiritual.

You said "Faith is a funny thing, and then maybe its not. It works for the people who have it, and doesn't for the people who don't."

These are very profound words.

Thank you for sharing them and saying so. I do believe you are right. At least it's what I feel.

smiles

Best wishes always