Pain is temporary, pride is forever.

Not sure where I first read that.

Probably on the wall of a locker room in a an after school special about that one kid who just didn’t fit in until he discovered football.

It’s apt, in that context, because on the other side of that pain, there’s winning.

Except.

Pain leaves behind its own legacy.

And its own bits of itself across what we are.

The person that we were then, still around, wanting that seat at the table.

Telling us that maybe this time it’s forever.

That it’s not so temporary.

Sometimes it’s just better to sit with it.

Let it have its say.

Hear it out.

Because it’s not going anywhere.

Can’t do much about that.

What we can do something about, is how loud it is. How much of it we choose to listen to.