‽istis ponders a cliché (2): ‘I feel your pain’
(weekending August 6th 2022)
·
a
conversation was had, post-op., with a surgeon for whom the procedure was
likely very minor - but, for the patient, major; even though perhaps neither had
felt any discomfort; and
·
‘devoted
parents who face a circumstance that is every parent’s nightmare – the loss of
a much–loved child.’ have pursued all means for their son[i]…
…‽istis pondered what may be a cliché: ‘I feel your pain…’ and
wondered:
· Can I ever, really‽
· Is ‘something a little bit similar’ enough for at least the start of a meeting point; the middle of a Venn diagram; a connection‽
· What impact might the use of anaesthetics have had on the treatment of illness and disease and on the skills, capacity as well as on the emotional life of those who now can sometimes treat invasively and ‘harm to heal’ through seeming oftentimes but not alltimes miraculous surgery‽
· Whether there may be a small-ish number of core and fundamental common experiences (with perhaps a positive and a negative side to them summed up in paired words such as: joy/sadness; pain/pleasure; love/hate; fear/calm; anger/warmth; companionship/loneliness; boredom/stimulation… and you might like to ponder on and add your own) - and yet how dynamic, multitudinous and multi-layered might our relative experiences be ‽
So, somewhat lost for a conclusion as well as words when there is maybe just an inkling of what someone could be going through, ‽istis resolved to avoid saying ‘I feel your pain…’[ii] but to continue to try to develop and exercise a compassionate imagination, however painful that may be.
And then imagine again - perhaps, possibly, maybe - how different the
world could be…
©
Pistis
NB: further reflections and comments linked to this week’s theme
and past blog entries to be found on Twitter: replies, retweets (which don’t
necessarily indicate approval, sometimes the very opposite!) and ‘likes’:
@Pistis_wonders. ‘Follows’ and respectful comment and dialogue welcome...
[i] https://www.supremecourt.uk/news/dance-and-battersbee-v-barts-health-nhs-trust-permission-to-appeal-decision.html
[ii]
Though it may have served a Presidential hopeful well: https://theweek.com/articles/471681/feeling-pain
