It doesn’t hurt if you think, “it’s just information.”
I tried to remove the bowl of fennel and leek soup from the microwave, and pulled back, bit sharply with burning fingertips. I thought to myself, “it’s not pain, it’s just information.” And forthwith, I put my hands back in, and slowly removed the bowl; aware of the heat signals sent by my fingers, aware that they escalated into more acute information signals of ouch and ow(!)y, but I ignored them, knowing I would not suffer burns, and brought the whole thing upstairs.
If you’re reading this, then you already know that I wondered- is there a message here for me and how I live my life? Would I live more bravely if I thought of all pain as just information? What have I been doing so far with all my information? I feel as though I’ve been on twin escalators, bringing soup bowls up and down, all for nothing.
The phone rings in a movie, and my heart jumps, thinking it’s for me. It is not.
