Wow.

This morning I woke up in excruciating pain from my lower back, a problem that has been plaguing me for the past two weeks. It hurt to walk, to stand, to sit, to move. The pain radiated down my left leg and, frankly, I felt really discouraged. I went to the gym anyway, and with a combination of gentle exercise, stretching, and pain meds, I am now virtually pain free. I just walked across the lawn to find the chickens because I had a handful of bird seed that needed a place to go, and it occurred to me that it is a wonderful thing to be free of pain. And I wonder if I would know what a miracle, what a tremendous gift freedom from pain is, if I did not struggle with pain so much. If I always walked around pain free, would I be as grateful as I am today? Would my heart be so filled with joy at the freedom? Would I even recognize it as freedom? My heart is literally full of happiness, and yes, the weather is awesome and my husband came home from work early and the birds are chirping merrily in the trees, but I can enjoy these things freely because I am not in pain, and I know it.

Sometimes I think the greatest gifts are hidden in dark places.