A Pain In The Bottom

The other day I walked past a children’s playground. There were the usual swings, climbing equipment… and a shiny metal slide.

I had an unexplainable flashback… I was a young child at a playground, going down a wooden slide…  

Slides were special. Our local park only had swings, see-saw and roundabout. But sliding down on this occasion…the slide gave me a splinter – it was a real pain in the bottom!

We talk of a pain in the bottom, a pain in the neck, a pain in one or two other anatomical parts… to describe a minor inconvenience…

On Saturday we went for our annual flu-jabs. We were offered a pneumonia-jab as well. With an injection in each arm we were confidently smiling; we haven’t reacted badly to any injections in the past…

On this occasion we have reacted… we’ve both felt unwell with a bit of a temperature, interrupted sleep, a pain in the arm… a pain in the bottom, a minor inconvenience.

This morning we were messaged by daughter Jo. Grandson Luca has tested positive for covid. He’s OK, a bit of a headache… but the family all have to test, there has to be isolation, family plans have to be re-planned, arrangements have to be re-arranged.

A pain in the head, a pain in the bottom, a minor inconvenience…

…Musing on friends whose pain is more than a minor inconvenience – Charles’s cancer-pain requires him to wear morphine patches; Rob has had to double his pain-killers for his cancer… Bill’s brain tumour; Jack’s long-term covid… Paul’s mother’s death has brought the pain of bereavement;… other friends with pain from depression, addiction, divorce…  

…Musing on St John’s words: ‘He (God) will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.’

This final resolution is the Christian hope… no more sadness, disappointment, grief… or pains in the bottom.