It's Just Going To Hurt - And I'm Sorry

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My husband and I went to a local comedy joint, as we often do, and had the privilege of watching the act of inspirational comedian, Darryl Lenox. Darryl is a man who's personal struggles, both physical and emotional, have provided him with the substance needed to bring his audience to chuckles and tears, motivation and amusement.

At one point, while talking about his eye surgery, he begins to explain how his cataracts were extensive enough that his pain medication wasn't touching the discomfort he was feeling. 

His doctor offered to stop the surgery, or to put him out with general anesthesia. Darryl replied that he didn't want to be put under general anesthesia because, in the event the surgery went awry and he lost his sight completely, he wanted to 'watch the lights go out'.

So his doctor made a very profound statement:

"This is just gonna hurt, and I'm sorry." - Darryl Lenox, 'Blind Ambition'

How many times in our lives would that statement have been helpful? Darryl expounds upon this by giving us a bit of humor.. It would be helpful to have this advice in high school, during our wedding vows, and so many other times... 

And what about birth? There are times when I hold a woman's hands while she is piercing me with the 'look beyond the birthing room' stare. She breathes heavily on my face and gasps, "but it hurts!"... and I do, I hold her gaze and earnestly say, "this is just going to hurt, and I'm sorry." 

Sometimes labor's just uncomfortable, but sometimes it hurts. I'm always honest with my mamas, but sometimes my best tool is to give her this type of honesty.  Breath awareness, counterpressure, massage, mantras... sometimes they all fall to the wayside and we are left with the root of it. 

This is just going to hurt, and I'm sorry.

Acceptance

and Surrender

How much freer could some mamas be, could we all be, if we were given that raw honesty so that we could accept, and surrender to, it?