Forgetting Pain

Forgetting Pain

People say I have a good memory because I can remember trivia about people's lives very well. But strangely there are also things that I can never seem to remember, no matter how hard I try. A good memory is always an asset but I think it is equally important for us to acquire the "skill" to forget.

The skill of forgetting is a useful one because there are things in life that we would simply want to forget--such as painful experiences, embarassments, grudges or slights. Even though we can never completely erase the effect of such unpleasant experiences--we wouldn't want to do so either because we need to learn from them--it is important that we don't relive them over and over again until we are overcome by phobia.

The lesson of any painful experience is to be learnt once, and after which one should move on. If we sincerely desire to learn and to move on, then the mind is immediately reprogrammed in a way that it is always ready to handle similar situations in the future. It is not in memory anymore, it is already "hardwired". There must be acceptance of pain so that the lessons learnt are internalized. To hold on to pain is to prevent the soul from digesting its important lessons.

Pain is a catalyst for the soul to rearrange its constituents and to grow into a more stable state of organization. Once the effects of pain have already been assimilated, we should not hold on to its source anymore. We release it back into the universe. There is no point in holding on to hatred or grudges because they'll only warp the soul and cause repeated injuries, like a a thorn lodged in the flesh. Let the mind forget but allow the soul to "remember" through learning. Once learnt, there's nothing to remember anymore because it has already become a part you.

Pain is a benevolent teacher, not a punisher. We can always learn from pain if we have the desire to transcend it. You are a better person today because of the pain that you've experienced in the past. The soul is willing to let go and forget because it has outgrown its childishness and is not perturbed by such painful experiences anymore.

There will always be fresh pains for us to deal with in life. Everytime they come, we attempt to distill their purifying essence and hopefully allow the soul to be nourished by it. We know we have finally let go of pain when we can afford to smile when reminded of them. A smile is prove of the soul's maturity. When certain memory still rouses anger or hatred instead of a smile, then we know we have not outgrown the experience yet. Let it go. Forgive and forget. Only then can the soul grow to its full potential.