Daily Gratitude: This is so true. The problem we humans have is that sometimes we keep those blinders and sleep masks so tight on our faces with the earplugs in place that we don’t hear or see those messages. As one who has been an expert at this all my life, I again, implore you to take off the masks and pull out the earplugs and LISTEN. Pain is a very big message. Put simply, since you already know that your brain is primarily a protective organ, pay attention to your brain’s communications. In the past when the universe sent me a “text message”, it was as if I was trying to decipher a teenager’s text or worse yet, like so many people, i ignored the message – I “couldn’t be bothered”. You WILL feel pain. The thing is that we do such a good job of suppressing our emotions, that we don’t allow ourselves to feel the emotional pain. But the brain will not be outsmarted. It recognizes this road block and has done a wonderful job of finding a detour – chronic physical pain. It’s really that simple – your brain is trying to alert you and it will try both ways to get you to listen. When you keep your emotions buried deep in the cellar (does anyone use that word anymore?), it says “okey dokey. Be that way” and it sends you physical pain. Listen listen listen. It’s giving you information you need to pay attention to. You really want to get an A, not an F on this exam.