Human beings like to be comfortable, both physically and emotionally. The result is that when pain of any kind pops up, we tend to turn away and do our best to pretend it doesn’t exist. The only problem with that strategy is that ignoring our various pains doesn’t make them go away. They still percolate under the surface, waiting to break through – and usually at the most inconvenient moments. Regardless of the nature of our pain and whether it is physical or emotional, the best thing we can do is turn toward it, observe it, and befriend it. It’s kind of like the old saying, “keep your friends close and your enemies closer.” We want to attend to our pain because then we understand it for exactly what it is, and we understand its impact on us for exactly what that is, too. There are no surprises, no over-reacting, just an honest assessment of exactly what we are dealing with – and the ability to decide how we are going to cope based upon that truth. It requires a bit of courage, but it’s actually a much easier path to walk.