Hello,
My name is Lou Redmond.
Thanks for allowing me to share with you.
I had a talk on here recently where I shared a knee injury and learning how to surrender to when our plans change.
Well,
I'm happy to report that I had a successful surgery and crossed the healing threshold.
If you know my work,
You know much of what I share comes from the processings and learnings of my experiences.
You can imagine this sudden wound brought much time for reflection.
One of the more positive surprises has been connecting with so many people who went through a meniscus injury.
People from all these different facets of my life,
Past and present,
Shared with me how they worked through their own surgery and knee injury.
It was like this whole world existed that was unable for me to see.
And that's what I learned is part of the power of suffering.
It is a great connector,
A builder of humility and above all,
Empathy.
It's been so comforting having that support.
The sad part is that most of us suffer alone.
Most aren't wearing their pain on their sleeve quite literally like I am with a knee brace.
Many are afraid to admit that they're unhappy,
Lonely,
Depressed,
Scared,
Or just lost.
Finding the strength to confide with the right person can be healing in and of itself.
This is why I think coaching and therapy are invaluable tools for transformation.
There's power to vulnerably sharing your suffering because it gives others permission to own theirs.
As the saying goes,
What's most personal is most universal.
As we drop the facade and let people in,
We find the support that we did and did not know we needed.
Not only does it connect us,
It's through the healing process we find the treasure of suffering.
As Richard Rohr says,
The wounded one is with the gift.
The comfortable one knows nothing.
Suffering allows us to hold more complexity,
Emotion,
And offers increased capacity to connect.
If you need support,
Reach out to someone.
If you feel supported,
Tell someone who may need it.
Your pain can have meaning.
It can be a catalyst for connection and an instrument for healing.
Note that this is not permission to complain and talk about how bad your life is.
Context and setting matter.
When you share,
See it as an act of giving rather than taking.
Be courageous,
Not a victim.
With right view and effort,
You can learn to make your mess your message.
You can transform because of suffering,
Not in spite of it.
The first step,
Finding the strength to face it.
I wish you so much support as you work through the continual suffering that life tends to throw at us.
And I'm so grateful for the opportunity to share different practices to help you through that in any way that I can.
So I have a meditation that is the same title as this,
The Gift of Suffering.
And I hope if you want to practice and get into your body around this,
Please check that out or connect with me on here on the circle.
You can search Loo Circle.
I'd love to support you again in the ways that I can.
Sending you so much love and support for your day and beyond.
I look forward to connecting with you soon.
Namaste.
