The Irony of Suffering

Humans are hard wired to avoid suffering at all costs – we have invented every kind of coping mechanism, from pain killers to alcohol to the softest, comfiest bed – all in an effort to avoid any form of discomfort at all costs.  We avoid difficult hardships, because we are afraid of the consequences.  Even in those cases, where the hardship endured bears the most incredible fruit, those experiences are most often avoided as well, because of the pain that needs to be endured to reach the goal.  But I have a theory, that unlike most people, mothers understand the irony of suffering – that unless you are willing to go through some of the toughest things you could possibly imagine, you cannot enjoy the brilliant goodness on the other side.

Nature has surrounded us with examples of the irony of suffering, and yet most people still avoid working hard, putting in the time, effort and energy to get to their desired state, all in an effort to avoid discomfort.  Our muscles, for example, paint a great example of how you must break down in order to regenerate.  Each time we push our muscles to the limit, they physically tear apart.  However, as they regenerate, the grow stronger.  And each time they tear apart, they grow stronger and stronger still.  Volcanos, another example, are a destructive force that obliterates everything in its path, destroying life.  But in it’s aftermath, the most beautiful, fertile land is formed, which bears life to even more brilliant plants.  And finally, those plants start out as seeds, tiny packaged bundles buried deep underground.  They must not only break through their tough exterior but also climb through the darkness towards light in order to achieve their true brilliance, as the incredible flower they were meant to be.

Moms understand the irony of suffering – our bodies endure an incredible amount of discomfort, from nausea to having our organs be stretched out and pummeled by tiny bucking broncos in our abdomens.  And yet we push on – we exert super human strength in giving birth to these tiny creatures that fed off of our bodies for 9 months.  And yet it continues – we then proceed to provide these tiny creatures with continued sustenance through our bodies, our voices, our love.  We understand that although at the end of each day, our bodies are beat up, our minds are scrambled, our souls are tired, that we suffer for a reason.  This tiny creature that we gave life to is producing a life of her own – she has broken through our shell and is climbing up through the darkness towards light to become the brilliant flower we know she is going to become.   And we will help her get there, no matter how hard it might be, because we understand that nothing truly brilliant can exist without the hardships endured to get there.

Priya Amin is the owner of ROKI, dedicated to empowering professional mothers who are seeking balance in their lives.  She can be followed on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest.

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Priya Amin
Priya Amin is a mom of two rambunctious boys, and is a serial entrepreneur. Her latest project is Flexable, a tech company helping parents and caregivers connect better, by allowing caregivers to intelligently "advertise" their availability. In the past, Priya worked in Corporate America for companies such as IBM and Nestle, before leaving to be a stay at home mom. She launched a successful consulting business called ROKI (named after her boys Ronin and Kirin) prior to launching Flexable, and enjoys the chaos of motherhood x work.