pain and perspective

I love the sting of a shower so hot you can hardly stand to be in it. I love it because of how glorious the relief is when you then step out into the cool air. Everything has its opposite, including pain, both physical and emotional. One doesn't really exist without the other. How much more can you enjoy a victory when the battle was hard fought? The end of a race is so much more gratifying when you pushed yourself to the limit getting there. And when life's great rewards seem out of your reach, you learn to appreciate all the small accomplishments. When your heart is truly aching, you learn to recognize each small kindness. The destruction of a fire gives way to unprecedented growth and reproduction. Agony eventually gives way to ecstasy. So I appreciate pain as a great teacher. I like frustration and sorrow and injury too, not because of the way they actually feel while I'm experiencing them, but because of the way they amplify joy and elation and pleasure. I do not regret life's unpleasant experiences because, without them, I'd have missed out on some very important lessons... and how much more might I have missed?