The Trick, Is Not Minding That It Hurts
A messenger, having just brought in a message for Lawrence of Arabia, watches him extinguish a lighted match slowly with his fingers. Lawrence reads the message then gathers his kit to leave. Meanwhile, Potter tries to put out a match with his fingers. It hurts and he asks Lawrence what the trick is. Lawrence replies: "The trick, William Potter, is not minding that it hurts." Every life has pain. Some greater than others. Some years, months, days, greater than others. I’ve learned this principle with a depth I can’t explain adequately. What I know is, that when I put my attention on the pain, it hurts more. When I do not, it hurts less, and sometimes not at all. This principle works no matter the depth of the pain or the consequence of the cause. When I place my mind ON the pain, the pain rules. When I do not MIND the pain, it has no power. That isn’t to say that all the troubles go away. ...