Pain Is Inevitable, Misery Is an Option

So, many years ago I worked for a Member of Congress.  One of the things a Member of Congress has to do is go around his or her district visiting tiny towns and eating bad food.  Sometimes, as a staffer, you get the pleasure of joining the Congressman.  One time, I had the good fortune to visit a very small town Rotary Club or Elks Club or some other club for its annual gala.  On the menu:  spaghetti (a small town favorite), my boss (he was speaking, not being eaten), and the keynote speaker, Mr. Hyrum W. Smith (who was also speaking, not being eaten).  [For those of you waiting for a cannibal joke, sorry, I don't have one (though, I could probably incorporate a finger food joke in there somehow).  Actually, cannibal jokes are among my favorite, so if you have a good one, leave it in the comments!]  For those of you who don't know who Hyrum W. Smith is, he is a self-proclaimed "World-Class Motivational Speaker" and the developer of the Franklin planner system.

Anyway, after a fine performance from my boss, Mr. Smith got up and started talking about stuff that I don't remember.  He talked about challenges, difficulties, overcoming the odds--all the motivational speaker kind of things.  Then, he said something that I had forgotten until I finished my post Tuesday (which is the reason I am telling you this story in the first place).  He said:  "Pain is inevitable.  Misery is an option."

You know, I would not classify Mr. Smith as a "world-class motivational speaker."  I really like Stephen R. Covey, but I just wasn't that impressed with Hyrum W. Smith.  I will say, though, that after years of internal reflection, I completely agree with what he said that night:  Pain is inevitable and misery is an option.  Everything we want in life comes with some level of pain.  Nothing that is really worth anything comes without some pain.  The question is whether we are going to go through that pain in misery and frustration, or whether we are going to have an attitude that sees the pain for what it is:  the price that must be paid.  The thing is, if I had to go through all this pain to be fat, I would look like Arnold Schwarzenegger right now, not Poppin' Fresh (that, for the uncultured among us, is the "Pilsbury Doughboy").  The truth is, it isn't painful to get fat.  In fact, it is indulgent, and, at times, downright fun.  That is why it is so easy to be fat, there is no sacrifice in it.

So, I don't know about you, but I have decided to be done with the easy way.  And not only am I done with it, but I am going to have a positive attitude about the change.  Food doesn't have to define my life, and I don't have to let it define my moods.  Pain?  Yes, there will be pain.  Pain is inevitable!  But misery?  Misery is an option.