Growing Pains

Ah, the pain of growing pains...we all go through it as we age year to year, from child to teen, parent to grandparent. But what about the spiritual growing pains? The emotional growing pains?

Sometimes I think they can be more painful that the physical manifestations of age.

I watch as a dear friend experiences true heartbreak for the first time, and desperately wish to hold them and "make it all go away," but doing so would remove the lesson to be learned as well. Growth – and change – are seldom easy, and often require fortitude of body, mind and spirit to get to the other side.

It's funny how, as we grow older, our perspective grows as well, and we can look back on times when we acted out and shut ourselves off, only to be faced with another sunrise and another day to move on.

I'm not saying I'm any wiser – far from it really – but I can look more objectively now, and see the situation from a whole new angle. Perhaps it's just knowing from experience that it does get better, that once the growth is achieved – whether mental, physical or spiritual – the body re-centers itself and life continues.

A teacher once told me to never sacrifice body for the sake of the mind; mind for the sake of the soul; and the soul for sake of the body. In other words, keep all sides of your true self in balance and the world will be a happier place for you. I'm beginning to see the wisdom in those words, and perhaps, growing a bit because of them.