harbarger theory: 

chaos comes from pain

I have been a camper for 45 years or so.  Over the years, I have learned to be a neat and tidy camper.  I learned that by the bitter experiences of losing things and having them ruined by inclement weather.  Tough ways to learn, but, learn them I did.

So, normally, I put things back where they belong in my pack (that 's why I love packs with pockets!!) and keep things tidy in my tent.  It helps me find stuff when I need them.  Especially after dark!

A week or so ago, I was privileged to help lead River Expedition Camp at our beloved Camp Otterbein.  Part of that trip was a 3 day paddle down the Hocking River (starting at where Clear Creek feeds into the Hocking between Logan and Lancaster and ending at West State Street Fields Boat Access in Athens, for those keeping score at home!).  We primitively camped on gravel and sand bars riverside.  (Now THOSE are great names for Paddler's Watering Holes, if I ever heard any!  As in, "Hey, let's meet later at The Gravel Bar for a Sarsparilla!" or something like that!)

The first night of camping on the river (of course came after the first day of paddling on the river) came on the heels of pretty grueling month of packing, moving out, moving in and unpacking.  The arthritis in my lower back was more than a little angry and it had just ... had ... enough ... thank you very much!!  I was in a whole bunch of pain!  Did I mention that it really, really hurt?  

I had, of course, been keeping up with my Alleve regimen and then augmenting that with a Tylenol Arthritis Strength regimen.  And ... I was STILL in a whole bunch of pain!  So, I rested for a while after dinner, got up for evening devotions and then went to bed early, waking up in the middle of the night to take more Tylenol.

The next morning, my stuff was a mess and it took forever to pack it all up.  I just chalked it up to not camping enough recently.

My back was much better the second day!  I slowed down on my Tylenol consumption (my liver was happy about that!) and still I didn't have much pain.

On the third morning, I was a little startled to find that my stuff was put away, neat and tidy.  I was back to my old ways.  I was a competent camper again.  Hmmm.  It caused me to think.

As I paddled along in my usual position at the back of the pack (what I call "Sweep"), I was thinking about this turn of events.  And it occurred to me. 

Chaos comes out of Pain.  Hmmm ...

Then I thought about the abuse of alcohol and drugs.  Chaos out of pain.

Then I thought about the abuse of children.  Chaos out of pain.

Then I thought about the domestic abuse.  Chaos out of pain.

Then I thought about gambling addiction.  Chaos out of pain.

Then I thought about the use of food as a crutch.  Chaos out of pain.

Then I though about kids (and adults) who act out of anger.  Chaos out of pain.

Then I thought, "I think I have something here!"  Can much of the ills of our culture come from pain.  Maybe so.  Maybe we don't cope well with pain.  Maybe we never, ever did.  Maybe ... we have always reacted to pain.

After all ...

Didn't Cain kill Abel because of pain?  

Didn't the Trojan War begin out of pain?  

Didn't the Civil War begin out of pain?

Didn't World War I (the War to end all wars) begin out of pain?

Don't I over-eat out of pain (and because I really, really like good food)?

My friends, it seems to me that it behooves us to be healers.  If my treatise is correct and "Chaos comes out of pain," then the way to break that struggle is to help folks heal and find solace.  We are to be agents of redemption; salve for the soul; catalysts for healing deep and inner wounds.  

We do that by praying for and with each other.  

We do that by listening to each other (not necessarily speaking or doing anything.      

          Sometimes it's enough to simply listen).

We do that by helping people have the courage to set a wrong right.  

We do that be stepping into the pain of other people and giving them the courage (maybe 

          simply doing it WITH them) to fix what's broken inside.

Let us be healers my friends.  Let's make this JOB #1!  

harbarger theory:

chaos comes out of pain