Joint Pain

Knees. Wrists. Shoulders. Hips. All those places in our bodies that are prone to slip and slide and groan and grind. Potential playgrounds for arthritis. Stages on which the symphony of Snap, Crackle, and Pop gathers to perform. Joints are wonderful when they work well and uncomfortable when they fail. And the longer we occupy these vessels of flesh, blood, organs, and bones, the more likely we are to experience joint pain. Bodies, like all living organisms, are subject to deterioration and decline. We can mitigate some of the wear and tear, but our demise is unavoidable.

Human bodies aren’t the only entities that experience joint pain. Whenever and wherever two or more realities are bound together, whether animate or inanimate, the potential for breakdown exists. Bridges give way. Marriages go awry. Foundations settle and crack. Trade agreements are broken. Fences fall. Partnerships dissolve. Friendships fracture or simply fade. As creatures designed for relationships, being joined to others of our kind enhances and enriches our lives for the most part. But the potential for such connections to become a source of pain always lurks around the corner. Even in the most blissful of friendships or marriages, the death of one may give rise to an agony in another that is not easily allayed. For some, the repeated experience of hurt because of being in relationship leads to a reluctance to make new connections with others at all. A high price to pay, living misaligned with our design.

The current state of our world, including our own country, speaks volumes about joint pain. Russia and Ukraine. The Middle East. India and Pakistan. Republican and Democrat. Conservative and liberal. The divisions seem to be more pronounced, the power plays more deadly, the collateral damage more tragic than in recent history. If we humans who not only inhabit but also stand at the helm of this vulnerable planet cannot find pathways that lead to peace and hallways that head in the direction of harmony, our demise will surely be of our own doing. If joining together seems too painful an option, we might do well to imagine the harm that could come from continuing to pummel one another out of political posturing.

Medicine. Therapy. Surgery. Apparatuses. Altered lifestyles. Some of the remedies we seek when the joints in our bodies prod us with pain. Where do we turn for a cure for a world of hurt that howls for its healing?