Some Thoughts on Life and Pain

From time to time I get thinking about the variety of experiences and milestones in life; things like getting a driver's license for the first time, graduating high school, starting college, graduating college, getting a first job, getting engaged, getting married, having babies, moving, purchasing a house, dying, etc. Somehow, when these things are happening in our own lives it's fairly consuming and a pretty big deal. But then I get to thinking how these things are always happening to someone, somewhere.

Life is sort of Ecclesiastical in that way. Is that even a word? I'm not sure but let's pretend it is. What I mean is while our individual lives may have seasons, humanity is experiencing all of them, all of the time. Someone is always getting married, having a baby, moving, purchasing a house, going on a first date, etc.

I like thinking about all these things happening together. The balance of life and death, building and tearing down, planting and harvesting, growing and shrinking, hot and cold, good and bad. Nothing is entire and I find that thought comforting.

I guess on some level it puts my pain in context. No matter how much it may dominate any given day of mine, well, I know it's just part of a much bigger give and take in this world. I'm playing my part in humanity. It's a small part, but no smaller than any other.