Pain, what pains us? Is the affliction of a malady or our unpreparedness pain? Our undeveloped, limited capacity to face situations? The more we know, the more ready we are and less we suffer: Nature of the malady does not change nor is it that its intensity lessens but we feel it less because we grow an understanding that has a wider encompass than the size of the pain and we are able to absorb it without being consumed by it. Unfortunately, the path to developing this understanding, what is also in 'bee in the bonnet' circles referred to as 'wisdom', is through encounters with a lot of pain. Almost like a rock in a ferocious river is rounded after centuries of erosion. Then, it simply lets the water pass over it without showing resistance and while it may still be eroded but the process slows down and the rock becomes a part of that universe of pain and changes the discourse where it ceases to be about pain.
An eagle is told that it once lived in huge nests on high mountains and tall trees at high altitudes and the big bird scoffs at such a preposterous idea. How can such a big bird living in caves and hunting on rodents soar in the skies over mountain tops and oceans. Not a bad idea but quite unlikely. Seems like these humans are crazy and think of anything about other animals to hide their own embarrassment over their monkey ancestry. Pick up any great novel, Hundred Years of Solitude, Blindness, Beloved, Alchemist or any others that you have read where imagination is stretched but you flow with the narrative. You easily believe what the writer is asking of you. It seems plausible and hence possible and you like a bird open your wings and fly where the winds of possibilities take you. Marquez creates a parallel world of freedom and we camp in this world with him; Morrison brings a spirit from the dead and we unblinkingly accept her character; Saramago presents a sightless world to us ...
Comments