What do you think this snowman is experiencing right now? Joy? Sadness? Boredom? Excitement?
To me this snowman is experiencing LOVE for mother nature because it finally snowed enough for him to be alive! OR maybe he is actually experiencing DISCOMFORT because of his scoliosis and wishes the snow balls could be more aligned?!
The thing is, we will never really know because this snowman cannot communicate and we won’t be able to listen properly. What I think the snowman should be feeling is based only on my preconceived notions of what I have seen or experienced before.
Pain, just like love or sadness, is an emotional experience that is unique to the individual. It is personal and we are entitled to it. We tend to judge someone else’s experience based on our own. We sort of critique what should and shouldn’t be painful based on our own biases.
We now know that not all pain is going to be well understood or well explained. We must embrace these differences, listen to the full story and respond with compassion.
Chronic pain is complex and very real.
We may not fully understand if from the outside unless we try.
Absolutely love the snowman analogy. I thought he was just funny! But I can see someone with scoliosis and a negative self-image would relate negatively to this happy loving snowman.