Better than hurt

There is no story without a conflict. Who would read that? Conflict is as essential to comedy as it is to tragedy. As it is to transcendence. The very nature of life is pain. And there are beautiful moments. These fleet. Would a life absolutely free of pain have been lived? Smiles and cupcakes and birthdays and sex and sleeping in late every day. Dying before anyone you love does. Never hearing “Goodbye.” On a rational level, I get it. But I have always been a little more emotional than rational, a little more impulsive than reflective. Maybe a lot more. And to be perfectly honest my life has been charmed by most standards. Noticing the bad things seems ungrateful. If you’ve never been cut before, and then you slice into a finger, I suppose it’s okay to acknowledge that it hurts. But what about a cut that never heals? You can do some things to mitigate pain. Is numb better than hurt? I’m asking for a friend.