pain is

this cartoon here was drawn by hugh macleod.
his site of blogging, marketing, web rants is full of cartoons, many of which are quite vulgar, many of which are quite inspiring. his book proposal on how to be creative is brilliant. [2011 edit: it's now a book, Ignore Everybody. cool]

anyway, I've been thinking about pain and being prepared for it. I firmly believe that life is pain. unavoidably, mercilessly, beautifully. and I don't find this attitude pessimistic. nor am I saying that because I'm afraid to be labeled a pessimist. I'll admit that in other ways I am one, but my life is pain motto is not at all a complaint--it's an observation. and a rejoicing in paradox. a poetry of balance. realism. equation. without pain what would life be like? what would be the point? (I know, I know, I often ask what's the point anyway, of anything, but just play along for a minute).

life = pain. pain = life. beautiful, yeah. pain.

hugh macleod says "if you accept the pain it can't hurt you."

okay.

but then is it still really pain?

is my assertion that life is pain the same as acceptance? anticipation? does it make a difference? really?

I still can't change it. I still get hurt. I still make mistakes.

so acceptance must mean something higher... maybe... or nobler. letting go of that pain and seeing bigger pictures. I'm not there yet. I'm not invicible.

or am I?

pain does not equal death.

and most of the pain has left me unscarred, unbroken. that's the beauty of it.

but I find it kind of weird that even knowing that life is pain doesn't give me any more power. I still get thrown out of my groove. that's mortality for you.