WEDNESDAY, JUNE 26, 2024 - NO PAIN, NO GAIN

 WEDNESDAY, JUNE 26, 2024 - NO PAIN, NO GAIN

As the much-anticipated football season approaches, coaches are gearing up for the intense practices that lie ahead. The phrase “No pain, no gain” Seems to be a favorite among them, setting the tone for the high school football teams across the country. The dreaded August practices—sometimes two-a-day practices—will soon begin, marking the start of a journey for the athletes. 

A player has to get into shape to play good football.  If a player has been idle since last year’s football season, they probably are out of shape.  A learning curve exists if a new player decides to play football.  There is running, weightlifting, drills, calisthenics, and mental readiness.  

In junior high school I helped out as a student manager for track.  One of my functions was to smear analgesic gel over sore legs and sore muscles.  Something to ease the pain.  

Mental readiness might mean a coach is yelling (screaming) at you.  “Faster, you can do it, go at it 150%.” 

I’m not sure that “no pain, no gain” works for all fields, but there might be some applications.  Years ago, I read a book by an educational philosophy that described a three-step process - stage 1 - inquiry, stage 2 - in the trenches and learning, and stage 3 - mastery.  The “in the trenches” might be like the no-pain side of sports preparedness. Some students don’t get out of the trenches or reach mastery.  

My original academic field was mathematics. Some kids never get the multiplication table and drift away from mathematics. Maybe as a student gets to calculus, their mind rebels, the pain becomes too much, and the math goes away.  

Teachers need to understand the challenge of “pain and gain.  The student might walk away without learning the concepts if the challenge is too much.  For a novice freshman football player, being asked to bench press 300 pounds may be too big of a challenge.  Running 5 miles is too baggy for a challenge for an overweight lineman.  Lessons might need to be adapted for individuals - and appropriate coaching developed.  

“It’s too hard” is not sweet music to a teacher’s ear.  

*****

Monday, I had a real painful day!  I’m getting dental implants- and on Monday the dentist removed the remaining teeth.  (I already had six extracted).  

I’m not sure I can describe the pain.  From the first shot of Novocain to the packing of gauze to absorb the blood at the end.  I dug my thumb fingernails into my fingers. 

No pain, no gain.  

But now two days later, that pain is largely forgotten.  

*****

I was thinking of a former student recently who gave birth to a son.  I didn’t have the opportunity to be a mother and deliver a baby.  But I can recall the pain (and screaming) as my wife had to push a nine-pound baby out of her body.  

In a matter of minutes, doctors put the newborn children into the mother’s arms.  While the pain is fresh, the joy of this infant helps sooth the pain.  

*****

I’ve heard people who had teeth implants; I’ve heard from mothers as the remember the pain.  

While pain is real.

“For God’s anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime; weeping may stay for the night, but rejoicing comes in the morning.”

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭30‬:‭5‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Joy does come in the morning.  No pain, no gain.  

Those football players need to understand that the pain is real, but the gain will also come. As they practice in the 90+ degree heat they know that eventually they will have real seasons- and (hopefully), joy from good plays and even some wins.  

So - wherever you are at today keep pushing through the pain- the agony - the frustration- to get to the gain, the win, the joy.

So, don’t give up - fight through the pain to get the gain.

*****

I write LOVE WINS

Is there pain in love winning?  Is there gain?

In my opinion, there is pain is loving unconditionally.  There might be some people you really want to hate - but you can’t hate them. There is some pain when you become love centered, not self-centered. 

Is it worth it?  That can be subjective.  For me, i have gotten peace of mind with LOVE WINS.

May you be open to letting LOVE WIN!!!

LOVE TRANSFORMS

Karen Anne White, July 26, 2024