Oct
Push or Stop?
I had an MRI last week because of damage to my right knee. Tuesday I learned I have torn cartilage. That explains the pain.
Back in the bad old days, I had learned to do things in spite of pain. That was a time when I had no medical insurance and could not afford to be out of action. My only recourse was to ride out the pain and rely on magick.
The ability to handle pain and discomfort has its down side. There is a tendency to ignore an injury that might require treatment. There is also the problem of pushing forward when everyone around you needs to take a break. A person can easily become insensitive to himself and those around him. Believe me, you pay for it later. Blisters, abrasions and exhaustion take their toll. Being used to ignoring pain and hunger, it is easy to push too far.
The other problem is the damage. It becomes easier to ignore an ache or a sore. The more it hurts, the more you ignore it. The pain does not go away. Instead, you just do not recognize it as much. You can be doing real damage to yourself, but are too good at ignoring pain to realize it until it is too late.
Getting away from that kind of thing is very hard.
The Havamal says that it is good to be wise, but not over-wise. Add to that: it is also good to be tough, but not over-tough. Learn to read your body. Push forward when necessary, but know when to stop. Pain is a sign that something is wrong. It is good to be sturdy, but it is also wise to know when to stop.
